diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/fsl_lpuart.c b/drivers/tty/serial/fsl_lpuart.c
index e46cffddcf7c..71646323e71b 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/fsl_lpuart.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/fsl_lpuart.c
@@ -935,13 +935,16 @@ static void lpuart_setup_watermark(struct lpuart_port *sport)
 	writeb(val | UARTPFIFO_TXFE | UARTPFIFO_RXFE,
 			sport->port.membase + UARTPFIFO);
 
-	/* explicitly clear RDRF */
-	readb(sport->port.membase + UARTSR1);
-
 	/* flush Tx and Rx FIFO */
 	writeb(UARTCFIFO_TXFLUSH | UARTCFIFO_RXFLUSH,
 			sport->port.membase + UARTCFIFO);
 
+	/* explicitly clear RDRF */
+	if (readb(sport->port.membase + UARTSR1) & UARTSR1_RDRF) {
+		readb(sport->port.membase + UARTDR);
+		writeb(UARTSFIFO_RXUF, sport->port.membase + UARTSFIFO);
+	}
+
 	writeb(0, sport->port.membase + UARTTWFIFO);
 	writeb(1, sport->port.membase + UARTRWFIFO);