diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
index 60a2e750cee9..9be81dbebede 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
@@ -126,8 +126,9 @@
  * status codes
  */
 #define STATUS_IDLE			0x0
-#define STATUS_WRITE_IN_PROGRESS	0x1
-#define STATUS_READ_IN_PROGRESS		0x2
+#define STATUS_ACTIVE			0x1
+#define STATUS_WRITE_IN_PROGRESS	0x2
+#define STATUS_READ_IN_PROGRESS		0x4
 
 /*
  * operation modes
@@ -322,12 +323,14 @@ void i2c_dw_disable_int(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev);
 
 static inline void __i2c_dw_enable(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 {
+	dev->status |= STATUS_ACTIVE;
 	regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_ENABLE, 1);
 }
 
 static inline void __i2c_dw_disable_nowait(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 {
 	regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_ENABLE, 0);
+	dev->status &= ~STATUS_ACTIVE;
 }
 
 void __i2c_dw_disable(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev);
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
index 9b08bb5df38d..e0559eff8928 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
@@ -720,6 +720,19 @@ static int i2c_dw_irq_handler_master(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 	u32 stat;
 
 	stat = i2c_dw_read_clear_intrbits(dev);
+
+	if (!(dev->status & STATUS_ACTIVE)) {
+		/*
+		 * Unexpected interrupt in driver point of view. State
+		 * variables are either unset or stale so acknowledge and
+		 * disable interrupts for suppressing further interrupts if
+		 * interrupt really came from this HW (E.g. firmware has left
+		 * the HW active).
+		 */
+		regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_INTR_MASK, 0);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	if (stat & DW_IC_INTR_TX_ABRT) {
 		dev->cmd_err |= DW_IC_ERR_TX_ABRT;
 		dev->status = STATUS_IDLE;