diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
index 2553d903a82b..2ad729138bee 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
@@ -2824,12 +2824,11 @@ void mmc_start_host(struct mmc_host *host)
 	host->rescan_disable = 0;
 	host->ios.power_mode = MMC_POWER_UNDEFINED;
 
-	mmc_claim_host(host);
-	if (host->caps2 & MMC_CAP2_NO_PRESCAN_POWERUP)
-		mmc_power_off(host);
-	else
+	if (!(host->caps2 & MMC_CAP2_NO_PRESCAN_POWERUP)) {
+		mmc_claim_host(host);
 		mmc_power_up(host, host->ocr_avail);
-	mmc_release_host(host);
+		mmc_release_host(host);
+	}
 
 	mmc_gpiod_request_cd_irq(host);
 	_mmc_detect_change(host, 0, false);