diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-imx/hotplug.c b/arch/arm/mach-imx/hotplug.c
index 3daf1ed90579..b35e99cc5e5b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-imx/hotplug.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-imx/hotplug.c
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ void imx_cpu_die(unsigned int cpu)
 	 * the register being cleared to kill the cpu.
 	 */
 	imx_set_cpu_arg(cpu, ~0);
-	cpu_do_idle();
+
+	while (1)
+		cpu_do_idle();
 }
 
 int imx_cpu_kill(unsigned int cpu)