diff --git a/drivers/mmc/fsl_esdhc.c b/drivers/mmc/fsl_esdhc.c
index 85354e893..999b58103 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/fsl_esdhc.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/fsl_esdhc.c
@@ -344,6 +344,20 @@ static int esdhc_init(struct mmc *mmc)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static void esdhc_reset(struct fsl_esdhc *regs)
+{
+	unsigned long timeout = 100; /* wait max 100 ms */
+
+	/* reset the controller */
+	esdhc_write32(&regs->sysctl, SYSCTL_RSTA);
+
+	/* hardware clears the bit when it is done */
+	while ((esdhc_read32(&regs->sysctl) & SYSCTL_RSTA) && --timeout)
+		udelay(1000);
+	if (!timeout)
+		printf("MMC/SD: Reset never completed.\n");
+}
+
 int fsl_esdhc_initialize(bd_t *bis, struct fsl_esdhc_cfg *cfg)
 {
 	struct fsl_esdhc *regs;
@@ -358,6 +372,9 @@ int fsl_esdhc_initialize(bd_t *bis, struct fsl_esdhc_cfg *cfg)
 	sprintf(mmc->name, "FSL_ESDHC");
 	regs = (struct fsl_esdhc *)cfg->esdhc_base;
 
+	/* First reset the eSDHC controller */
+	esdhc_reset(regs);
+
 	mmc->priv = cfg;
 	mmc->send_cmd = esdhc_send_cmd;
 	mmc->set_ios = esdhc_set_ios;
diff --git a/include/fsl_esdhc.h b/include/fsl_esdhc.h
index 57a08cd4c..5f020187c 100644
--- a/include/fsl_esdhc.h
+++ b/include/fsl_esdhc.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #define SYSCTL_PEREN		0x00000004
 #define SYSCTL_HCKEN		0x00000002
 #define SYSCTL_IPGEN		0x00000001
+#define SYSCTL_RSTA		0x01000000
 
 #define IRQSTAT			0x0002e030
 #define IRQSTAT_DMAE		(0x10000000)