diff --git a/drivers/crypto/mv_cesa.c b/drivers/crypto/mv_cesa.c
index 1cc6b3f..b0b2f02 100644
--- a/drivers/crypto/mv_cesa.c
+++ b/drivers/crypto/mv_cesa.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #define MV_CESA	"MV-CESA:"
 #define MAX_HW_HASH_SIZE	0xFFFF
+#define MV_CESA_EXPIRE		500 /* msec */
 
 /*
  * STM:
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	struct crypto_queue queue;
 	enum engine_status eng_st;
+	struct timer_list completion_timer;
 	struct crypto_async_request *cur_req;
 	struct req_progress p;
 	int max_req_size;
@@ -138,6 +140,29 @@
 	int count_add;
 };
 
+static void mv_completion_timer_callback(unsigned long unused)
+{
+	int active = readl(cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_CMD) & SEC_CMD_EN_SEC_ACCL0;
+
+	printk(KERN_ERR MV_CESA
+	       "completion timer expired (CESA %sactive), cleaning up.\n",
+	       active ? "" : "in");
+
+	del_timer(&cpg->completion_timer);
+	writel(SEC_CMD_DISABLE_SEC, cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_CMD);
+	while(readl(cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_CMD) & SEC_CMD_DISABLE_SEC)
+		printk(KERN_INFO MV_CESA "%s: waiting for engine finishing\n", __func__);
+	cpg->eng_st = ENGINE_W_DEQUEUE;
+	wake_up_process(cpg->queue_th);
+}
+
+static void mv_setup_timer(void)
+{
+	setup_timer(&cpg->completion_timer, &mv_completion_timer_callback, 0);
+	mod_timer(&cpg->completion_timer,
+			jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(MV_CESA_EXPIRE));
+}
+
 static void compute_aes_dec_key(struct mv_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct crypto_aes_ctx gen_aes_key;
@@ -273,12 +298,8 @@
 			sizeof(struct sec_accel_config));
 
 	/* GO */
+	mv_setup_timer();
 	writel(SEC_CMD_EN_SEC_ACCL0, cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_CMD);
-
-	/*
-	 * XXX: add timer if the interrupt does not occur for some mystery
-	 * reason
-	 */
 }
 
 static void mv_crypto_algo_completion(void)
@@ -357,12 +378,8 @@
 	memcpy(cpg->sram + SRAM_CONFIG, &op, sizeof(struct sec_accel_config));
 
 	/* GO */
+	mv_setup_timer();
 	writel(SEC_CMD_EN_SEC_ACCL0, cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_CMD);
-
-	/*
-	* XXX: add timer if the interrupt does not occur for some mystery
-	* reason
-	*/
 }
 
 static inline int mv_hash_import_sha1_ctx(const struct mv_req_hash_ctx *ctx,
@@ -888,6 +905,10 @@
 	if (!(val & SEC_INT_ACCEL0_DONE))
 		return IRQ_NONE;
 
+	if (!del_timer(&cpg->completion_timer)) {
+		printk(KERN_WARNING MV_CESA
+		       "got an interrupt but no pending timer?\n");
+	}
 	val &= ~SEC_INT_ACCEL0_DONE;
 	writel(val, cpg->reg + FPGA_INT_STATUS);
 	writel(val, cpg->reg + SEC_ACCEL_INT_STATUS);