diff --git a/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550 b/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
index 576a2cb2fd8b7..6d57487b7fa1c 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
+++ b/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
@@ -519,4 +519,13 @@ config 16550_ADDRWIDTH
 		Default: 8
 		Note: 0 means auto detect address size (uintptr_t)
 
+config 16550_WAIT_LCR
+	bool "Wait for UART before setting LCR"
+	default n
+	---help---
+		Before setting the Line Control Register (LCR), wait until UART is
+		not busy.  This is required for Synopsys DesignWare 8250, which
+		will trigger spurious interrupts when setting the LCR without
+		waiting.  Default: n
+
 endif # 16550_UART
diff --git a/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c b/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
index 3d5175617c5d6..418a91bca4cc7 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_16550_UART
 
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Pre-processor Definitions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/* Timeout for UART Busy Wait, in milliseconds */
+
+#define UART_TIMEOUT_MS 100
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Private Types
  ****************************************************************************/
@@ -622,6 +630,43 @@ static inline void u16550_serialout(FAR struct u16550_s *priv, int offset,
 #endif
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: u16550_wait
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Wait until UART is not busy. This is needed before writing to LCR.
+ *   Otherwise we will get spurious interrupts on Synopsys DesignWare 8250.
+ *
+ * Input Parameters:
+ *   priv: UART Struct
+ *
+ * Returned Value:
+ *   Zero (OK) on success; ERROR if timeout.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+static int u16550_wait(FAR struct u16550_s *priv)
+{
+  int i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < UART_TIMEOUT_MS; i++)
+    {
+      uint32_t status = u16550_serialin(priv, UART_USR_OFFSET);
+
+      if ((status & UART_USR_BUSY) == 0)
+        {
+          return OK;
+        }
+
+      up_mdelay(1);
+    }
+
+  _err("UART timeout\n");
+  return ERROR;
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR */
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: u16550_disableuartint
  ****************************************************************************/
@@ -667,6 +712,15 @@ static inline void u16550_enablebreaks(FAR struct u16550_s *priv,
       lcr &= ~UART_LCR_BRK;
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR
+  /* Wait till UART is not busy before setting LCR */
+
+  if (u16550_wait(priv) < 0)
+    {
+      _err("UART wait failed\n");
+    }
+#endif /* CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR */
+
   u16550_serialout(priv, UART_LCR_OFFSET, lcr);
 }
 
@@ -761,6 +815,16 @@ static int u16550_setup(FAR struct uart_dev_s *dev)
       lcr |= (UART_LCR_PEN | UART_LCR_EPS);
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR
+  /* Wait till UART is not busy before setting LCR */
+
+  if (u16550_wait(priv) < 0)
+    {
+      _err("UART wait failed\n");
+      return ERROR;
+    }
+#endif /* CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR */
+
   /* Enter DLAB=1 */
 
   u16550_serialout(priv, UART_LCR_OFFSET, (lcr | UART_LCR_DLAB));
@@ -771,6 +835,16 @@ static int u16550_setup(FAR struct uart_dev_s *dev)
   u16550_serialout(priv, UART_DLM_OFFSET, div >> 8);
   u16550_serialout(priv, UART_DLL_OFFSET, div & 0xff);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR
+  /* Wait till UART is not busy before setting LCR */
+
+  if (u16550_wait(priv) < 0)
+    {
+      _err("UART wait failed\n");
+      return ERROR;
+    }
+#endif /* CONFIG_16550_WAIT_LCR */
+
   /* Clear DLAB */
 
   u16550_serialout(priv, UART_LCR_OFFSET, lcr);
diff --git a/include/nuttx/serial/uart_16550.h b/include/nuttx/serial/uart_16550.h
index e2aaa72ac1237..8c4318f4bd31b 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/serial/uart_16550.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/serial/uart_16550.h
@@ -172,18 +172,19 @@
 
 /* Register offsets *********************************************************/
 
-#define UART_RBR_INCR          0 /* (DLAB =0) Receiver Buffer Register */
-#define UART_THR_INCR          0 /* (DLAB =0) Transmit Holding Register */
-#define UART_DLL_INCR          0 /* (DLAB =1) Divisor Latch LSB */
-#define UART_DLM_INCR          1 /* (DLAB =1) Divisor Latch MSB */
-#define UART_IER_INCR          1 /* (DLAB =0) Interrupt Enable Register */
-#define UART_IIR_INCR          2 /* Interrupt ID Register */
-#define UART_FCR_INCR          2 /* FIFO Control Register */
-#define UART_LCR_INCR          3 /* Line Control Register */
-#define UART_MCR_INCR          4 /* Modem Control Register */
-#define UART_LSR_INCR          5 /* Line Status Register */
-#define UART_MSR_INCR          6 /* Modem Status Register */
-#define UART_SCR_INCR          7 /* Scratch Pad Register */
+#define UART_RBR_INCR          0  /* (DLAB =0) Receiver Buffer Register */
+#define UART_THR_INCR          0  /* (DLAB =0) Transmit Holding Register */
+#define UART_DLL_INCR          0  /* (DLAB =1) Divisor Latch LSB */
+#define UART_DLM_INCR          1  /* (DLAB =1) Divisor Latch MSB */
+#define UART_IER_INCR          1  /* (DLAB =0) Interrupt Enable Register */
+#define UART_IIR_INCR          2  /* Interrupt ID Register */
+#define UART_FCR_INCR          2  /* FIFO Control Register */
+#define UART_LCR_INCR          3  /* Line Control Register */
+#define UART_MCR_INCR          4  /* Modem Control Register */
+#define UART_LSR_INCR          5  /* Line Status Register */
+#define UART_MSR_INCR          6  /* Modem Status Register */
+#define UART_SCR_INCR          7  /* Scratch Pad Register */
+#define UART_USR_INCR          31 /* UART Status Register */
 
 #define UART_RBR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_RBR_INCR)
 #define UART_THR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_THR_INCR)
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@
 #define UART_LSR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_LSR_INCR)
 #define UART_MSR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_MSR_INCR)
 #define UART_SCR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_SCR_INCR)
+#define UART_USR_OFFSET        (CONFIG_16550_REGINCR*UART_USR_INCR)
 
 /* Register bit definitions *************************************************/
 
@@ -298,6 +300,10 @@
 
 #define UART_SCR_MASK                (0xff)    /* Bits 0-7: SCR data */
 
+/* USR UART Status Register */
+
+#define UART_USR_BUSY                (1 << 0)  /* Bit 0: UART Busy */
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Types
  ****************************************************************************/