diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/liteuart.c b/drivers/tty/serial/liteuart.c
index 62bfd2ed9051..ab6837f3e40d 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/liteuart.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/liteuart.c
@@ -68,10 +68,8 @@ static struct uart_driver liteuart_driver = {
 #endif
 };
 
-static void liteuart_timer(struct timer_list *t)
+static void liteuart_rx_chars(struct uart_port *port)
 {
-	struct liteuart_port *uart = from_timer(uart, t, timer);
-	struct uart_port *port = &uart->port;
 	unsigned char __iomem *membase = port->membase;
 	u8 ch;
 
@@ -88,6 +86,14 @@ static void liteuart_timer(struct timer_list *t)
 	}
 
 	tty_flip_buffer_push(&port->state->port);
+}
+
+static void liteuart_timer(struct timer_list *t)
+{
+	struct liteuart_port *uart = from_timer(uart, t, timer);
+	struct uart_port *port = &uart->port;
+
+	liteuart_rx_chars(port);
 
 	mod_timer(&uart->timer, jiffies + uart_poll_timeout(port));
 }