diff --git a/drivers/misc/cs5535-mfgpt.c b/drivers/misc/cs5535-mfgpt.c
index 2d44b33..6f62180 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/cs5535-mfgpt.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/cs5535-mfgpt.c
@@ -211,6 +211,17 @@
  */
 void cs5535_mfgpt_free_timer(struct cs5535_mfgpt_timer *timer)
 {
+	unsigned long flags;
+	uint16_t val;
+
+	/* timer can be made available again only if never set up */
+	val = cs5535_mfgpt_read(timer, MFGPT_REG_SETUP);
+	if (!(val & MFGPT_SETUP_SETUP)) {
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&timer->chip->lock, flags);
+		__set_bit(timer->nr, timer->chip->avail);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&timer->chip->lock, flags);
+	}
+
 	kfree(timer);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(cs5535_mfgpt_free_timer);