struct circ_buf *xmit = &port->state->xmit;
        unsigned long flags;
        dma_addr_t buf;
+       int head, tail;
 
        /*
         * DMA is idle now.
         * consistent xmit buffer state.
         */
        spin_lock_irq(&port->lock);
-       buf = s->tx_dma_addr + (xmit->tail & (UART_XMIT_SIZE - 1));
+       head = xmit->head;
+       tail = xmit->tail;
+       buf = s->tx_dma_addr + (tail & (UART_XMIT_SIZE - 1));
        s->tx_dma_len = min_t(unsigned int,
-               CIRC_CNT(xmit->head, xmit->tail, UART_XMIT_SIZE),
-               CIRC_CNT_TO_END(xmit->head, xmit->tail, UART_XMIT_SIZE));
-       spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
+               CIRC_CNT(head, tail, UART_XMIT_SIZE),
+               CIRC_CNT_TO_END(head, tail, UART_XMIT_SIZE));
+       if (!s->tx_dma_len) {
+               /* Transmit buffer has been flushed */
+               spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
+               return;
+       }
 
        desc = dmaengine_prep_slave_single(chan, buf, s->tx_dma_len,
                                           DMA_MEM_TO_DEV,
                                           DMA_PREP_INTERRUPT | DMA_CTRL_ACK);
        if (!desc) {
+               spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
                dev_warn(port->dev, "Failed preparing Tx DMA descriptor\n");
                goto switch_to_pio;
        }
        dma_sync_single_for_device(chan->device->dev, buf, s->tx_dma_len,
                                   DMA_TO_DEVICE);
 
-       spin_lock_irq(&port->lock);
        desc->callback = sci_dma_tx_complete;
        desc->callback_param = s;
-       spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
        s->cookie_tx = dmaengine_submit(desc);
        if (dma_submit_error(s->cookie_tx)) {
+               spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
                dev_warn(port->dev, "Failed submitting Tx DMA descriptor\n");
                goto switch_to_pio;
        }
 
+       spin_unlock_irq(&port->lock);
        dev_dbg(port->dev, "%s: %p: %d...%d, cookie %d\n",
-               __func__, xmit->buf, xmit->tail, xmit->head, s->cookie_tx);
+               __func__, xmit->buf, tail, head, s->cookie_tx);
 
        dma_async_issue_pending(chan);
        return;