diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250.h b/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250.h
index b861585ca02a..6f97ff3a197d 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250.h
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250.h
@@ -162,6 +162,19 @@ static inline u16 serial_lsr_in(struct uart_8250_port *up)
 	return lsr;
 }
 
+/*
+ * To avoid PSLVERR, check UART_LSR_DR in UART_LSR before
+ * reading UART_RX.
+ */
+static inline void serial8250_discard_data(struct uart_8250_port *up)
+{
+	u16 lsr;
+
+	lsr = serial_in(up, UART_LSR);
+	if (lsr & UART_LSR_DR)
+		serial_in(up, UART_RX);
+}
+
 /*
  * For the 16C950
  */
diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c b/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c
index a913135d5217..1666b965f6a0 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c
@@ -1357,9 +1357,8 @@ static void autoconfig_irq(struct uart_8250_port *up)
 	/* Synchronize UART_IER access against the console. */
 	uart_port_lock_irq(port);
 	serial_out(up, UART_IER, UART_IER_ALL_INTR);
+	serial8250_discard_data(up);
 	uart_port_unlock_irq(port);
-	serial_in(up, UART_LSR);
-	serial_in(up, UART_RX);
 	serial_in(up, UART_IIR);
 	serial_in(up, UART_MSR);
 	serial_out(up, UART_TX, 0xFF);
@@ -2137,25 +2136,22 @@ static void wait_for_xmitr(struct uart_8250_port *up, int bits)
 static int serial8250_get_poll_char(struct uart_port *port)
 {
 	struct uart_8250_port *up = up_to_u8250p(port);
-	int status;
+	int status = NO_POLL_CHAR;
 	u16 lsr;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
 	serial8250_rpm_get(up);
 
+	uart_port_lock_irqsave(port, &flags);
 	lsr = serial_port_in(port, UART_LSR);
+	if (lsr & UART_LSR_DR)
+		status = serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
+	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 
-	if (!(lsr & UART_LSR_DR)) {
-		status = NO_POLL_CHAR;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	status = serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
-out:
 	serial8250_rpm_put(up);
 	return status;
 }
 
-
 static void serial8250_put_poll_char(struct uart_port *port,
 			 unsigned char c)
 {
@@ -2264,13 +2260,17 @@ int serial8250_do_startup(struct uart_port *port)
 	 * Clear the FIFO buffers and disable them.
 	 * (they will be reenabled in set_termios())
 	 */
+	uart_port_lock_irqsave(port, &flags);
 	serial8250_clear_fifos(up);
 
 	/*
-	 * Clear the interrupt registers.
+	 * Read UART_RX to clear interrupts (e.g., Character Timeout).
+	 * No data on UART_IIR_RX_TIMEOUT, UART_LSR_DR won't set.
+	 * FIFO disabled, read UART_RX without LSR check, no PSLVERR.
 	 */
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_LSR);
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
+	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_IIR);
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_MSR);
 
@@ -2429,15 +2429,14 @@ int serial8250_do_startup(struct uart_port *port)
 	}
 
 dont_test_tx_en:
-	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Clear the interrupt registers again for luck, and clear the
 	 * saved flags to avoid getting false values from polling
 	 * routines or the previous session.
 	 */
-	serial_port_in(port, UART_LSR);
-	serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
+	serial8250_discard_data(up);
+	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_IIR);
 	serial_port_in(port, UART_MSR);
 	up->lsr_saved_flags = 0;
@@ -2519,7 +2518,6 @@ void serial8250_do_shutdown(struct uart_port *port)
 		port->mctrl &= ~TIOCM_OUT2;
 
 	serial8250_set_mctrl(port, port->mctrl);
-	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Disable break condition and FIFOs
@@ -2527,6 +2525,14 @@ void serial8250_do_shutdown(struct uart_port *port)
 	serial_port_out(port, UART_LCR,
 			serial_port_in(port, UART_LCR) & ~UART_LCR_SBC);
 	serial8250_clear_fifos(up);
+	/*
+	 * Read data port to reset things, and then unlink from
+	 * the IRQ chain.
+	 * Since reading UART_RX clears interrupts, doing so with
+	 * FIFO disabled won't trigger PSLVERR.
+	 */
+	serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
+	uart_port_unlock_irqrestore(port, flags);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SERIAL_8250_RSA
 	/*
@@ -2535,11 +2541,6 @@ void serial8250_do_shutdown(struct uart_port *port)
 	disable_rsa(up);
 #endif
 
-	/*
-	 * Read data port to reset things, and then unlink from
-	 * the IRQ chain.
-	 */
-	serial_port_in(port, UART_RX);
 	serial8250_rpm_put(up);
 
 	up->ops->release_irq(up);
