diff --git a/drivers/dma/at_hdmac.c b/drivers/dma/at_hdmac.c
index 7f19e96d3883..4cb768f4cfbc 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/at_hdmac.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/at_hdmac.c
@@ -510,8 +510,11 @@ static void atc_advance_work(struct at_dma_chan *atchan)
 
 	/* advance work */
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&atchan->lock, flags);
-	if (!list_empty(&atchan->active_list))
-		atc_dostart(atchan, atc_first_active(atchan));
+	if (!list_empty(&atchan->active_list)) {
+		desc = atc_first_queued(atchan);
+		list_move_tail(&desc->desc_node, &atchan->active_list);
+		atc_dostart(atchan, desc);
+	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&atchan->lock, flags);
 }
 
@@ -523,6 +526,7 @@ static void atc_advance_work(struct at_dma_chan *atchan)
 static void atc_handle_error(struct at_dma_chan *atchan)
 {
 	struct at_desc *bad_desc;
+	struct at_desc *desc;
 	struct at_desc *child;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
@@ -540,8 +544,11 @@ static void atc_handle_error(struct at_dma_chan *atchan)
 	list_splice_init(&atchan->queue, atchan->active_list.prev);
 
 	/* Try to restart the controller */
-	if (!list_empty(&atchan->active_list))
-		atc_dostart(atchan, atc_first_active(atchan));
+	if (!list_empty(&atchan->active_list)) {
+		desc = atc_first_queued(atchan);
+		list_move_tail(&desc->desc_node, &atchan->active_list);
+		atc_dostart(atchan, desc);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * KERN_CRITICAL may seem harsh, but since this only happens