diff --git a/drivers/clk/qcom/clk-smd-rpm.c b/drivers/clk/qcom/clk-smd-rpm.c
index 075c88bac8738..a9a58af351913 100644
--- a/drivers/clk/qcom/clk-smd-rpm.c
+++ b/drivers/clk/qcom/clk-smd-rpm.c
@@ -440,7 +440,8 @@ static const struct clk_ops clk_smd_rpm_branch_ops = {
 	.recalc_rate	= clk_smd_rpm_recalc_rate,
 };
 
-DEFINE_CLK_SMD_RPM_BRANCH_A(bi_tcxo, QCOM_SMD_RPM_MISC_CLK, 0, 19200000, 0);
+/* Disabling BI_TCXO_AO could gate the root clock source of the entire system. */
+DEFINE_CLK_SMD_RPM_BRANCH_A(bi_tcxo, QCOM_SMD_RPM_MISC_CLK, 0, 19200000, CLK_IS_CRITICAL);
 DEFINE_CLK_SMD_RPM_BRANCH(qdss, QCOM_SMD_RPM_MISC_CLK, 1, 19200000);
 DEFINE_CLK_SMD_RPM_QDSS(qdss, QCOM_SMD_RPM_MISC_CLK, 1);
 DEFINE_CLK_SMD_RPM_BRANCH_A(bimc_freq_log, QCOM_SMD_RPM_MISC_CLK, 4, 1, 0);