diff --git a/sound/soc/sh/rcar/ssi.c b/sound/soc/sh/rcar/ssi.c
index 42d7c7e8226bae23ce71c0acd4faaa6d215b80cf..d67bca9fef2b3fe29bdcba603840884dcf6de19a 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sh/rcar/ssi.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sh/rcar/ssi.c
@@ -210,6 +210,10 @@ static void rsnd_ssi_hw_start(struct rsnd_ssi *ssi,
 
 	rsnd_mod_write(&ssi->mod, SSICR, cr);
 
+	/* enable WS continue */
+	if (rsnd_dai_is_clk_master(rdai))
+		rsnd_mod_write(&ssi->mod, SSIWSR, CONT);
+
 	ssi->usrcnt++;
 
 	dev_dbg(dev, "%s[%d] hw started\n",
@@ -506,10 +510,6 @@ static int rsnd_ssi_dma_start(struct rsnd_mod *mod,
 
 	rsnd_ssi_hw_start(ssi, ssi->rdai, io);
 
-	/* enable WS continue */
-	if (rsnd_dai_is_clk_master(rdai))
-		rsnd_mod_write(&ssi->mod, SSIWSR, CONT);
-
 	return 0;
 }