diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
index b79e1380ff68..5ceb81319634 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
@@ -456,10 +456,16 @@ i2c_dw_xfer_msg(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 
 		/*
 		 * Because we don't know the buffer length in the
-		 * I2C_FUNC_SMBUS_BLOCK_DATA case, we can't stop
-		 * the transaction here.
+		 * I2C_FUNC_SMBUS_BLOCK_DATA case, we can't stop the
+		 * transaction here. Also disable the TX_EMPTY IRQ
+		 * while waiting for the data length byte to avoid the
+		 * bogus interrupts flood.
 		 */
-		if (buf_len > 0 || flags & I2C_M_RECV_LEN) {
+		if (flags & I2C_M_RECV_LEN) {
+			dev->status |= STATUS_WRITE_IN_PROGRESS;
+			intr_mask &= ~DW_IC_INTR_TX_EMPTY;
+			break;
+		} else if (buf_len > 0) {
 			/* more bytes to be written */
 			dev->status |= STATUS_WRITE_IN_PROGRESS;
 			break;
@@ -495,6 +501,13 @@ i2c_dw_recv_len(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev, u8 len)
 	msgs[dev->msg_read_idx].len = len;
 	msgs[dev->msg_read_idx].flags &= ~I2C_M_RECV_LEN;
 
+	/*
+	 * Received buffer length, re-enable TX_EMPTY interrupt
+	 * to resume the SMBUS transaction.
+	 */
+	regmap_update_bits(dev->map, DW_IC_INTR_MASK, DW_IC_INTR_TX_EMPTY,
+			   DW_IC_INTR_TX_EMPTY);
+
 	return len;
 }