diff --git a/arch/i386/kernel/i8253.c b/arch/i386/kernel/i8253.c
index 931eabe1e5609f9aec1fbccda5219ec937e85e43..bde249dda94d583a5375c99250de7dd9e19cb9a9 100644
--- a/arch/i386/kernel/i8253.c
+++ b/arch/i386/kernel/i8253.c
@@ -47,9 +47,12 @@ static void init_pit_timer(enum clock_event_mode mode,
 
 	case CLOCK_EVT_MODE_SHUTDOWN:
 	case CLOCK_EVT_MODE_UNUSED:
-		outb_p(0x30, PIT_MODE);
-		outb_p(0, PIT_CH0);	/* LSB */
-		outb_p(0, PIT_CH0);	/* MSB */
+		if (evt->mode == CLOCK_EVT_MODE_PERIODIC ||
+		    evt->mode == CLOCK_EVT_MODE_ONESHOT) {
+			outb_p(0x30, PIT_MODE);
+			outb_p(0, PIT_CH0);
+			outb_p(0, PIT_CH0);
+		}
 		break;
 
 	case CLOCK_EVT_MODE_ONESHOT: