diff --git a/drivers/dma/dw_dmac.c b/drivers/dma/dw_dmac.c
index a3991ab0d67e06cf6e99d41d9a1a923109dc1a06..db22754be35d06ba7a3cb4ee2c1a8cb5d8ac07b7 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/dw_dmac.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/dw_dmac.c
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ static void dwc_scan_descriptors(struct dw_dma *dw, struct dw_dma_chan *dwc)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (list_empty(&dwc->active_list))
+		return;
+
 	dev_vdbg(chan2dev(&dwc->chan), "scan_descriptors: llp=0x%x\n", llp);
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(desc, _desc, &dwc->active_list, desc_node) {