diff --git a/arch/blackfin/include/asm/dma.h b/arch/blackfin/include/asm/dma.h
index 46c5618..c9a5962 100644
--- a/arch/blackfin/include/asm/dma.h
+++ b/arch/blackfin/include/asm/dma.h
@@ -206,10 +206,16 @@
 
 static inline void set_dma_sg(unsigned int channel, struct dmasg *sg, int ndsize)
 {
+	/* Make sure the internal data buffers in the core are drained
+	 * so that the DMA descriptors are completely written when the
+	 * DMA engine goes to fetch them below.
+	 */
+	SSYNC();
+
+	dma_ch[channel].regs->next_desc_ptr = sg;
 	dma_ch[channel].regs->cfg =
 		(dma_ch[channel].regs->cfg & ~(0xf << 8)) |
 		((ndsize & 0xf) << 8);
-	dma_ch[channel].regs->next_desc_ptr = sg;
 }
 
 static inline int dma_channel_active(unsigned int channel)