diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
index d0f58cca5c20..b90a603d6b12 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
@@ -800,16 +800,14 @@ cmos_do_probe(struct device *dev, struct resource *ports, int rtc_irq)
 
 	rename_region(ports, dev_name(&cmos_rtc.rtc->dev));
 
-	spin_lock_irq(&rtc_lock);
-
-	/* Ensure that the RTC is accessible. Bit 6 must be 0! */
-	if ((CMOS_READ(RTC_VALID) & 0x40) != 0) {
-		spin_unlock_irq(&rtc_lock);
-		dev_warn(dev, "not accessible\n");
+	if (!mc146818_does_rtc_work()) {
+		dev_warn(dev, "broken or not accessible\n");
 		retval = -ENXIO;
 		goto cleanup1;
 	}
 
+	spin_lock_irq(&rtc_lock);
+
 	if (!(flags & CMOS_RTC_FLAGS_NOFREQ)) {
 		/* force periodic irq to CMOS reset default of 1024Hz;
 		 *
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
index 97e3cebb4da9..70137566981e 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
@@ -8,10 +8,36 @@
 #include <linux/acpi.h>
 #endif
 
+/*
+ * If the UIP (Update-in-progress) bit of the RTC is set for more then
+ * 10ms, the RTC is apparently broken or not present.
+ */
+bool mc146818_does_rtc_work(void)
+{
+	int i;
+	unsigned char val;
+	unsigned long flags;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&rtc_lock, flags);
+		val = CMOS_READ(RTC_FREQ_SELECT);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&rtc_lock, flags);
+
+		if ((val & RTC_UIP) == 0)
+			return true;
+
+		mdelay(1);
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(mc146818_does_rtc_work);
+
 unsigned int mc146818_get_time(struct rtc_time *time)
 {
 	unsigned char ctrl;
 	unsigned long flags;
+	unsigned int iter_count = 0;
 	unsigned char century = 0;
 	bool retry;
 
@@ -20,13 +46,13 @@ unsigned int mc146818_get_time(struct rtc_time *time)
 #endif
 
 again:
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&rtc_lock, flags);
-	/* Ensure that the RTC is accessible. Bit 6 must be 0! */
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE((CMOS_READ(RTC_VALID) & 0x40) != 0)) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&rtc_lock, flags);
+	if (iter_count > 10) {
 		memset(time, 0, sizeof(*time));
 		return -EIO;
 	}
+	iter_count++;
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&rtc_lock, flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Check whether there is an update in progress during which the
diff --git a/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h b/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h
index 0661af17a758..69c80c4325bf 100644
--- a/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h
+++ b/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ struct cmos_rtc_board_info {
 #define RTC_IO_EXTENT_USED      RTC_IO_EXTENT
 #endif /* ARCH_RTC_LOCATION */
 
+bool mc146818_does_rtc_work(void);
 unsigned int mc146818_get_time(struct rtc_time *time);
 int mc146818_set_time(struct rtc_time *time);