diff --git a/drivers/mmc/host/sunxi-mmc.c b/drivers/mmc/host/sunxi-mmc.c
index d6fa2214aaae8f967bf34230f7d784b4c598718b..0fb4e4c119e10682b2a2860f5389cd6350bcbb82 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/host/sunxi-mmc.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/host/sunxi-mmc.c
@@ -793,8 +793,12 @@ static int sunxi_mmc_clk_set_rate(struct sunxi_mmc_host *host,
 	}
 	mmc_writel(host, REG_CLKCR, rval);
 
-	if (host->cfg->needs_new_timings)
-		mmc_writel(host, REG_SD_NTSR, SDXC_2X_TIMING_MODE);
+	if (host->cfg->needs_new_timings) {
+		/* Don't touch the delay bits */
+		rval = mmc_readl(host, REG_SD_NTSR);
+		rval |= SDXC_2X_TIMING_MODE;
+		mmc_writel(host, REG_SD_NTSR, rval);
+	}
 
 	ret = sunxi_mmc_clk_set_phase(host, ios, rate);
 	if (ret)