diff --git a/drivers/i2c/mvtwsi.c b/drivers/i2c/mvtwsi.c
index 5f993b9..221ff4f 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/mvtwsi.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/mvtwsi.c
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@
 	/* globally set TWSIEN in case it was not */
 	twsi_control_flags |= MVTWSI_CONTROL_TWSIEN;
 	/* assert START */
-	twsi_control_flags |= MVTWSI_CONTROL_START | MVTWSI_CONTROL_CLEAR_IFLG;
-	writel(twsi_control_flags, &twsi->control);
+	writel(twsi_control_flags | MVTWSI_CONTROL_START |
+				    MVTWSI_CONTROL_CLEAR_IFLG, &twsi->control);
 	/* wait for controller to process START */
 	return twsi_wait(adap, expected_status);
 }