diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/omap-serial.c b/drivers/tty/serial/omap-serial.c
index 9c0a4ae97e65..d3fbb70a8e8a 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/omap-serial.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/omap-serial.c
@@ -196,11 +196,14 @@ static void serial_omap_stop_rx(struct uart_port *port)
 	pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(up->dev);
 }
 
-static void transmit_chars(struct uart_omap_port *up)
+static void transmit_chars(struct uart_omap_port *up, unsigned int lsr)
 {
 	struct circ_buf *xmit = &up->port.state->xmit;
 	int count;
 
+	if (!(lsr & UART_LSR_THRE))
+		return;
+
 	if (up->port.x_char) {
 		serial_out(up, UART_TX, up->port.x_char);
 		up->port.icount.tx++;
@@ -370,8 +373,7 @@ static inline irqreturn_t serial_omap_irq(int irq, void *dev_id)
 			check_modem_status(up);
 			break;
 		case UART_IIR_THRI:
-			if (lsr & UART_LSR_THRE)
-				transmit_chars(up);
+			transmit_chars(up, lsr);
 			break;
 		case UART_IIR_RX_TIMEOUT:
 			/* FALLTHROUGH */