diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/mfgpt_32.c b/arch/x86/kernel/mfgpt_32.c
index abdb7c71199abb73c63a7f3085feeaab53a663a9..81aa9db01f5f8d54b06ae07108cb8c53fe22930a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/mfgpt_32.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/mfgpt_32.c
@@ -249,8 +249,9 @@ __setup("mfgpt_irq=", mfgpt_setup);
 
 static void mfgpt_disable_timer(u16 clock)
 {
-	u16 val = geode_mfgpt_read(clock, MFGPT_REG_SETUP);
-	geode_mfgpt_write(clock, MFGPT_REG_SETUP, val & ~MFGPT_SETUP_CNTEN);
+	/* avoid races by clearing CMP1 and CMP2 unconditionally */
+	geode_mfgpt_write(clock, MFGPT_REG_SETUP, (u16) ~MFGPT_SETUP_CNTEN |
+			MFGPT_SETUP_CMP1 | MFGPT_SETUP_CMP2);
 }
 
 static int mfgpt_next_event(unsigned long, struct clock_event_device *);