diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/ipc3-topology.c b/sound/soc/sof/ipc3-topology.c
index 2c7a5e7a364c..d96555438c6b 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/ipc3-topology.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/ipc3-topology.c
@@ -2309,6 +2309,44 @@ static int sof_tear_down_left_over_pipelines(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int sof_ipc3_free_widgets_in_list(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, bool include_scheduler,
+					 bool *dyn_widgets, bool verify)
+{
+	struct sof_ipc_fw_version *v = &sdev->fw_ready.version;
+	struct snd_sof_widget *swidget;
+	int ret;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(swidget, &sdev->widget_list, list) {
+		if (swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget) {
+			*dyn_widgets = true;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		/* Do not free widgets for static pipelines with FW older than SOF2.2 */
+		if (!verify && !swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget &&
+		    SOF_FW_VER(v->major, v->minor, v->micro) < SOF_FW_VER(2, 2, 0)) {
+			mutex_lock(&swidget->setup_mutex);
+			swidget->use_count = 0;
+			mutex_unlock(&swidget->setup_mutex);
+			if (swidget->spipe)
+				swidget->spipe->complete = 0;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (include_scheduler && swidget->id != snd_soc_dapm_scheduler)
+			continue;
+
+		if (!include_scheduler && swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler)
+			continue;
+
+		ret = sof_widget_free(sdev, swidget);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * For older firmware, this function doesn't free widgets for static pipelines during suspend.
  * It only resets use_count for all widgets.
@@ -2325,29 +2363,18 @@ static int sof_ipc3_tear_down_all_pipelines(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, bool verif
 	 * This function is called during suspend and for one-time topology verification during
 	 * first boot. In both cases, there is no need to protect swidget->use_count and
 	 * sroute->setup because during suspend all running streams are suspended and during
-	 * topology loading the sound card unavailable to open PCMs.
+	 * topology loading the sound card unavailable to open PCMs. Do not free the scheduler
+	 * widgets yet so that the secondary cores do not get powered down before all the widgets
+	 * associated with the scheduler are freed.
 	 */
-	list_for_each_entry(swidget, &sdev->widget_list, list) {
-		if (swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget) {
-			dyn_widgets = true;
-			continue;
-		}
+	ret = sof_ipc3_free_widgets_in_list(sdev, false, &dyn_widgets, verify);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
 
-		/* Do not free widgets for static pipelines with FW older than SOF2.2 */
-		if (!verify && !swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget &&
-		    SOF_FW_VER(v->major, v->minor, v->micro) < SOF_FW_VER(2, 2, 0)) {
-			mutex_lock(&swidget->setup_mutex);
-			swidget->use_count = 0;
-			mutex_unlock(&swidget->setup_mutex);
-			if (swidget->spipe)
-				swidget->spipe->complete = 0;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		ret = sof_widget_free(sdev, swidget);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			return ret;
-	}
+	/* free all the scheduler widgets now */
+	ret = sof_ipc3_free_widgets_in_list(sdev, true, &dyn_widgets, verify);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
 
 	/*
 	 * Tear down all pipelines associated with PCMs that did not get suspended