diff --git a/drivers/mfd/ab8500-core.c b/drivers/mfd/ab8500-core.c
index ae67612317a8..eee95606bdbb 100644
--- a/drivers/mfd/ab8500-core.c
+++ b/drivers/mfd/ab8500-core.c
@@ -161,9 +161,13 @@ static int set_register_interruptible(struct ab8500 *ab8500, u8 bank,
 static int ab8500_set_register(struct device *dev, u8 bank,
 	u8 reg, u8 value)
 {
+	int ret;
 	struct ab8500 *ab8500 = dev_get_drvdata(dev->parent);
 
-	return set_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg, value);
+	atomic_inc(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	ret = set_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg, value);
+	atomic_dec(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int get_register_interruptible(struct ab8500 *ab8500, u8 bank,
@@ -192,9 +196,13 @@ static int get_register_interruptible(struct ab8500 *ab8500, u8 bank,
 static int ab8500_get_register(struct device *dev, u8 bank,
 	u8 reg, u8 *value)
 {
+	int ret;
 	struct ab8500 *ab8500 = dev_get_drvdata(dev->parent);
 
-	return get_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg, value);
+	atomic_inc(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	ret = get_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg, value);
+	atomic_dec(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int mask_and_set_register_interruptible(struct ab8500 *ab8500, u8 bank,
@@ -241,11 +249,14 @@ out:
 static int ab8500_mask_and_set_register(struct device *dev,
 	u8 bank, u8 reg, u8 bitmask, u8 bitvalues)
 {
+	int ret;
 	struct ab8500 *ab8500 = dev_get_drvdata(dev->parent);
 
-	return mask_and_set_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg,
-		bitmask, bitvalues);
-
+	atomic_inc(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	ret= mask_and_set_register_interruptible(ab8500, bank, reg,
+						 bitmask, bitvalues);
+	atomic_dec(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static struct abx500_ops ab8500_ops = {
@@ -264,6 +275,7 @@ static void ab8500_irq_lock(struct irq_data *data)
 	struct ab8500 *ab8500 = irq_data_get_irq_chip_data(data);
 
 	mutex_lock(&ab8500->irq_lock);
+	atomic_inc(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
 }
 
 static void ab8500_irq_sync_unlock(struct irq_data *data)
@@ -292,7 +304,7 @@ static void ab8500_irq_sync_unlock(struct irq_data *data)
 		reg = AB8500_IT_MASK1_REG + ab8500->irq_reg_offset[i];
 		set_register_interruptible(ab8500, AB8500_INTERRUPT, reg, new);
 	}
-
+	atomic_dec(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
 	mutex_unlock(&ab8500->irq_lock);
 }
 
@@ -332,6 +344,8 @@ static irqreturn_t ab8500_irq(int irq, void *dev)
 
 	dev_vdbg(ab8500->dev, "interrupt\n");
 
+	atomic_inc(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
+
 	for (i = 0; i < ab8500->mask_size; i++) {
 		int regoffset = ab8500->irq_reg_offset[i];
 		int status;
@@ -355,9 +369,10 @@ static irqreturn_t ab8500_irq(int irq, void *dev)
 
 			handle_nested_irq(ab8500->irq_base + line);
 			value &= ~(1 << bit);
+
 		} while (value);
 	}
-
+	atomic_dec(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing);
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }
 
@@ -411,6 +426,14 @@ static void ab8500_irq_remove(struct ab8500 *ab8500)
 	}
 }
 
+int ab8500_suspend(struct ab8500 *ab8500)
+{
+	if (atomic_read(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing))
+		return -EINVAL;
+	else
+		return 0;
+}
+
 /* AB8500 GPIO Resources */
 static struct resource __devinitdata ab8500_gpio_resources[] = {
 	{
@@ -1059,6 +1082,7 @@ int __devinit ab8500_init(struct ab8500 *ab8500, enum ab8500_version version)
 
 	mutex_init(&ab8500->lock);
 	mutex_init(&ab8500->irq_lock);
+	atomic_set(&ab8500->transfer_ongoing, 0);
 
 	if (version != AB8500_VERSION_UNDEFINED)
 		ab8500->version = version;
diff --git a/include/linux/mfd/abx500/ab8500.h b/include/linux/mfd/abx500/ab8500.h
index d798f5b6a55f..91dd3ef63e99 100644
--- a/include/linux/mfd/abx500/ab8500.h
+++ b/include/linux/mfd/abx500/ab8500.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #ifndef MFD_AB8500_H
 #define MFD_AB8500_H
 
+#include <linux/atomic.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
 
 struct device;
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ enum ab8500_version {
  * @dev: parent device
  * @lock: read/write operations lock
  * @irq_lock: genirq bus lock
+ * @transfer_ongoing: 0 if no transfer ongoing
  * @irq: irq line
  * @version: chip version id (e.g. ab8500 or ab9540)
  * @chip_id: chip revision id
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ struct ab8500 {
 	struct device	*dev;
 	struct mutex	lock;
 	struct mutex	irq_lock;
-
+	atomic_t	transfer_ongoing;
 	int		irq_base;
 	int		irq;
 	enum ab8500_version version;
@@ -288,6 +290,8 @@ extern int __devinit ab8500_init(struct ab8500 *ab8500,
 				 enum ab8500_version version);
 extern int __devexit ab8500_exit(struct ab8500 *ab8500);
 
+extern int ab8500_suspend(struct ab8500 *ab8500);
+
 static inline int is_ab8500(struct ab8500 *ab)
 {
 	return ab->version == AB8500_VERSION_AB8500;