diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c b/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
index 2b6ac1be00d3..a49f10d269b2 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
@@ -825,9 +825,6 @@ static void atmel_release_rx_dma(struct uart_port *port)
 	atmel_port->desc_rx = NULL;
 	atmel_port->chan_rx = NULL;
 	atmel_port->cookie_rx = -EINVAL;
-
-	if (!atmel_port->is_usart)
-		del_timer_sync(&atmel_port->uart_timer);
 }
 
 static void atmel_rx_from_dma(struct uart_port *port)
@@ -1229,9 +1226,6 @@ static void atmel_release_rx_pdc(struct uart_port *port)
 				 DMA_FROM_DEVICE);
 		kfree(pdc->buf);
 	}
-
-	if (!atmel_port->is_usart)
-		del_timer_sync(&atmel_port->uart_timer);
 }
 
 static void atmel_rx_from_pdc(struct uart_port *port)
@@ -1604,12 +1598,13 @@ static int atmel_startup(struct uart_port *port)
 	/* enable xmit & rcvr */
 	UART_PUT_CR(port, ATMEL_US_TXEN | ATMEL_US_RXEN);
 
+	setup_timer(&atmel_port->uart_timer,
+			atmel_uart_timer_callback,
+			(unsigned long)port);
+
 	if (atmel_use_pdc_rx(port)) {
 		/* set UART timeout */
 		if (!atmel_port->is_usart) {
-			setup_timer(&atmel_port->uart_timer,
-					atmel_uart_timer_callback,
-					(unsigned long)port);
 			mod_timer(&atmel_port->uart_timer,
 					jiffies + uart_poll_timeout(port));
 		/* set USART timeout */
@@ -1624,9 +1619,6 @@ static int atmel_startup(struct uart_port *port)
 	} else if (atmel_use_dma_rx(port)) {
 		/* set UART timeout */
 		if (!atmel_port->is_usart) {
-			setup_timer(&atmel_port->uart_timer,
-					atmel_uart_timer_callback,
-					(unsigned long)port);
 			mod_timer(&atmel_port->uart_timer,
 					jiffies + uart_poll_timeout(port));
 		/* set USART timeout */
@@ -1651,6 +1643,12 @@ static void atmel_shutdown(struct uart_port *port)
 {
 	struct atmel_uart_port *atmel_port = to_atmel_uart_port(port);
 
+	/*
+	 * Prevent any tasklets being scheduled during
+	 * cleanup
+	 */
+	del_timer_sync(&atmel_port->uart_timer);
+
 	/*
 	 * Clear out any scheduled tasklets before
 	 * we destroy the buffers