diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/powerplay/smumgr/tonga_smumgr.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/powerplay/smumgr/tonga_smumgr.c
index 5f9124046b9b79d8fa7b763b3a3e41877571e859..eff9a232e72e52f78ec40c3bada79e52b8e5b4fe 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/powerplay/smumgr/tonga_smumgr.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/powerplay/smumgr/tonga_smumgr.c
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ static int tonga_start_smu(struct pp_smumgr *smumgr)
 	int result;
 
 	/* Only start SMC if SMC RAM is not running */
-	if (!smu7_is_smc_ram_running(smumgr)) {
+	if (!(smu7_is_smc_ram_running(smumgr) ||
+		cgs_is_virtualization_enabled(smumgr->device))) {
 		/*Check if SMU is running in protected mode*/
 		if (0 == SMUM_READ_VFPF_INDIRECT_FIELD(smumgr->device, CGS_IND_REG__SMC,
 					SMU_FIRMWARE, SMU_MODE)) {