diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
index 21fbb340ad6603a249d052d8f7accb6aed0f7753..1f06c8e9934cb4e5d1fbad6335d0b4d9afab7c77 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
@@ -448,8 +448,14 @@ i2c_dw_xfer_msg(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 				cmd |= BIT(9);
 
 			if (msgs[dev->msg_write_idx].flags & I2C_M_RD) {
+
+				/* avoid rx buffer overrun */
+				if (rx_limit - dev->rx_outstanding <= 0)
+					break;
+
 				dw_writel(dev, cmd | 0x100, DW_IC_DATA_CMD);
 				rx_limit--;
+				dev->rx_outstanding++;
 			} else
 				dw_writel(dev, cmd | *buf++, DW_IC_DATA_CMD);
 			tx_limit--; buf_len--;
@@ -502,8 +508,10 @@ i2c_dw_read(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 
 		rx_valid = dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_RXFLR);
 
-		for (; len > 0 && rx_valid > 0; len--, rx_valid--)
+		for (; len > 0 && rx_valid > 0; len--, rx_valid--) {
 			*buf++ = dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_DATA_CMD);
+			dev->rx_outstanding--;
+		}
 
 		if (len > 0) {
 			dev->status |= STATUS_READ_IN_PROGRESS;
@@ -561,6 +569,7 @@ i2c_dw_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg msgs[], int num)
 	dev->msg_err = 0;
 	dev->status = STATUS_IDLE;
 	dev->abort_source = 0;
+	dev->rx_outstanding = 0;
 
 	ret = i2c_dw_wait_bus_not_busy(dev);
 	if (ret < 0)
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
index 9c1840ee09c7a4fde94a468a5ff339bdb42ae2ac..e761ad18dd61b8888e77a2989b772f79431d8b26 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
  * @adapter: i2c subsystem adapter node
  * @tx_fifo_depth: depth of the hardware tx fifo
  * @rx_fifo_depth: depth of the hardware rx fifo
+ * @rx_outstanding: current master-rx elements in tx fifo
  */
 struct dw_i2c_dev {
 	struct device		*dev;
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ struct dw_i2c_dev {
 	u32			master_cfg;
 	unsigned int		tx_fifo_depth;
 	unsigned int		rx_fifo_depth;
+	int			rx_outstanding;
 };
 
 #define ACCESS_SWAP		0x00000001