diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi-geni-qcom.c b/drivers/spi/spi-geni-qcom.c
index 689b94fc5570..7b76dcd11e2b 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi-geni-qcom.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi-geni-qcom.c
@@ -979,6 +979,12 @@ static int spi_geni_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (mas->cur_xfer_mode == GENI_SE_FIFO)
 		spi->set_cs = spi_geni_set_cs;
 
+	/*
+	 * TX is required per GSI spec, see setup_gsi_xfer().
+	 */
+	if (mas->cur_xfer_mode == GENI_GPI_DMA)
+		spi->flags = SPI_CONTROLLER_MUST_TX;
+
 	ret = request_irq(mas->irq, geni_spi_isr, 0, dev_name(dev), spi);
 	if (ret)
 		goto spi_geni_release_dma;