diff --git a/drivers/thermal/step_wise.c b/drivers/thermal/step_wise.c
index 2f9f7086ac3dd0d7a3a71015593fffacf8ee586e..ea9366ad3e6bb285e52e368691a0d495cbb3429f 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/step_wise.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/step_wise.c
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ static unsigned long get_target_state(struct thermal_instance *instance,
 	next_target = instance->target;
 	dev_dbg(&cdev->device, "cur_state=%ld\n", cur_state);
 
+	if (!instance->initialized) {
+		if (throttle) {
+			next_target = (cur_state + 1) >= instance->upper ?
+					instance->upper :
+					((cur_state + 1) < instance->lower ?
+					instance->lower : (cur_state + 1));
+		} else {
+			next_target = THERMAL_NO_TARGET;
+		}
+
+		return next_target;
+	}
+
 	switch (trend) {
 	case THERMAL_TREND_RAISING:
 		if (throttle) {
@@ -149,7 +162,7 @@ static void thermal_zone_trip_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz, int trip)
 		dev_dbg(&instance->cdev->device, "old_target=%d, target=%d\n",
 					old_target, (int)instance->target);
 
-		if (old_target == instance->target)
+		if (instance->initialized && old_target == instance->target)
 			continue;
 
 		/* Activate a passive thermal instance */
@@ -161,7 +174,7 @@ static void thermal_zone_trip_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz, int trip)
 			instance->target == THERMAL_NO_TARGET)
 			update_passive_instance(tz, trip_type, -1);
 
-
+		instance->initialized = true;
 		instance->cdev->updated = false; /* cdev needs update */
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index d9e525cc9c1ce24bcd9d55dd59730f375b15d552..682bc1ef9c3738a2c425116fd3af0666f73447ec 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -532,8 +532,22 @@ static void update_temperature(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 	mutex_unlock(&tz->lock);
 
 	trace_thermal_temperature(tz);
-	dev_dbg(&tz->device, "last_temperature=%d, current_temperature=%d\n",
-				tz->last_temperature, tz->temperature);
+	if (tz->last_temperature == THERMAL_TEMP_INVALID)
+		dev_dbg(&tz->device, "last_temperature N/A, current_temperature=%d\n",
+			tz->temperature);
+	else
+		dev_dbg(&tz->device, "last_temperature=%d, current_temperature=%d\n",
+			tz->last_temperature, tz->temperature);
+}
+
+static void thermal_zone_device_reset(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
+{
+	struct thermal_instance *pos;
+
+	tz->temperature = THERMAL_TEMP_INVALID;
+	tz->passive = 0;
+	list_for_each_entry(pos, &tz->thermal_instances, tz_node)
+		pos->initialized = false;
 }
 
 void thermal_zone_device_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
@@ -1900,6 +1914,7 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&(tz->poll_queue), thermal_zone_device_check);
 
+	thermal_zone_device_reset(tz);
 	thermal_zone_device_update(tz);
 
 	return tz;
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
index d7ac1fccd6598a80453dc51da655e37b30b85ac7..749d41abfbabecfc8fc33f54f4bc2e5d680450f8 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ struct thermal_instance {
 	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
 	struct thermal_cooling_device *cdev;
 	int trip;
+	bool initialized;
 	unsigned long upper;	/* Highest cooling state for this trip point */
 	unsigned long lower;	/* Lowest cooling state for this trip point */
 	unsigned long target;	/* expected cooling state */
diff --git a/include/linux/thermal.h b/include/linux/thermal.h
index 613c29bd6baf4763e57530b794df843d9cea61ee..103fcbe6bdaf2dbbc2585d50098d893870014a3f 100644
--- a/include/linux/thermal.h
+++ b/include/linux/thermal.h
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@
 /* Default weight of a bound cooling device */
 #define THERMAL_WEIGHT_DEFAULT 0
 
+/* use value, which < 0K, to indicate an invalid/uninitialized temperature */
+#define THERMAL_TEMP_INVALID	-274000
+
 /* Unit conversion macros */
 #define DECI_KELVIN_TO_CELSIUS(t)	({			\
 	long _t = (t);						\