diff --git a/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c b/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
index e218a803fdb5..15e5a10801cd 100644
--- a/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
+++ b/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
@@ -456,13 +456,36 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_prepare(struct rproc *rproc)
 {
 	struct k3_r5_rproc *kproc = rproc->priv;
 	struct k3_r5_cluster *cluster = kproc->cluster;
-	struct k3_r5_core *core = kproc->core;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core = kproc->core, *core0, *core1;
 	struct device *dev = kproc->dev;
 	u32 ctrl = 0, cfg = 0, stat = 0;
 	u64 boot_vec = 0;
 	bool mem_init_dis;
 	int ret;
 
+	/*
+	 * R5 cores require to be powered on sequentially, core0 should be in
+	 * higher power state than core1 in a cluster. So, wait for core0 to
+	 * power up before proceeding to core1 and put timeout of 2sec. This
+	 * waiting mechanism is necessary because rproc_auto_boot_callback() for
+	 * core1 can be called before core0 due to thread execution order.
+	 *
+	 * By placing the wait mechanism here in .prepare() ops, this condition
+	 * is enforced for rproc boot requests from sysfs as well.
+	 */
+	core0 = list_first_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core, elem);
+	core1 = list_last_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core, elem);
+	if (cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_SPLIT && core == core1 &&
+	    !core0->released_from_reset) {
+		ret = wait_event_interruptible_timeout(cluster->core_transition,
+						       core0->released_from_reset,
+						       msecs_to_jiffies(2000));
+		if (ret <= 0) {
+			dev_err(dev, "can not power up core1 before core0");
+			return -EPERM;
+		}
+	}
+
 	ret = ti_sci_proc_get_status(core->tsp, &boot_vec, &cfg, &ctrl, &stat);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
@@ -478,6 +501,13 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_prepare(struct rproc *rproc)
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Notify all threads in the wait queue when core state has changed so
+	 * that threads waiting for this condition can be executed.
+	 */
+	core->released_from_reset = true;
+	wake_up_interruptible(&cluster->core_transition);
+
 	/*
 	 * Newer IP revisions like on J7200 SoCs support h/w auto-initialization
 	 * of TCMs, so there is no need to perform the s/w memzero. This bit is
@@ -523,10 +553,30 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_unprepare(struct rproc *rproc)
 {
 	struct k3_r5_rproc *kproc = rproc->priv;
 	struct k3_r5_cluster *cluster = kproc->cluster;
-	struct k3_r5_core *core = kproc->core;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core = kproc->core, *core0, *core1;
 	struct device *dev = kproc->dev;
 	int ret;
 
+	/*
+	 * Ensure power-down of cores is sequential in split mode. Core1 must
+	 * power down before Core0 to maintain the expected state. By placing
+	 * the wait mechanism here in .unprepare() ops, this condition is
+	 * enforced for rproc stop or shutdown requests from sysfs and device
+	 * removal as well.
+	 */
+	core0 = list_first_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core, elem);
+	core1 = list_last_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core, elem);
+	if (cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_SPLIT && core == core0 &&
+	    core1->released_from_reset) {
+		ret = wait_event_interruptible_timeout(cluster->core_transition,
+						       !core1->released_from_reset,
+						       msecs_to_jiffies(2000));
+		if (ret <= 0) {
+			dev_err(dev, "can not power down core0 before core1");
+			return -EPERM;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* Re-use LockStep-mode reset logic for Single-CPU mode */
 	ret = (cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_LOCKSTEP ||
 	       cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_SINGLECPU) ?
@@ -534,6 +584,13 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_unprepare(struct rproc *rproc)
 	if (ret)
 		dev_err(dev, "unable to disable cores, ret = %d\n", ret);
 
+	/*
+	 * Notify all threads in the wait queue when core state has changed so
+	 * that threads waiting for this condition can be executed.
+	 */
+	core->released_from_reset = false;
+	wake_up_interruptible(&cluster->core_transition);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -559,7 +616,7 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_start(struct rproc *rproc)
 	struct k3_r5_rproc *kproc = rproc->priv;
 	struct k3_r5_cluster *cluster = kproc->cluster;
 	struct device *dev = kproc->dev;
-	struct k3_r5_core *core0, *core;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core;
 	u32 boot_addr;
 	int ret;
 
@@ -581,21 +638,9 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_start(struct rproc *rproc)
 				goto unroll_core_run;
 		}
 	} else {
-		/* do not allow core 1 to start before core 0 */
-		core0 = list_first_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core,
-					 elem);
-		if (core != core0 && core0->rproc->state == RPROC_OFFLINE) {
-			dev_err(dev, "%s: can not start core 1 before core 0\n",
-				__func__);
-			return -EPERM;
-		}
-
 		ret = k3_r5_core_run(core);
 		if (ret)
 			return ret;
-
-		core->released_from_reset = true;
-		wake_up_interruptible(&cluster->core_transition);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -636,8 +681,7 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_stop(struct rproc *rproc)
 {
 	struct k3_r5_rproc *kproc = rproc->priv;
 	struct k3_r5_cluster *cluster = kproc->cluster;
-	struct device *dev = kproc->dev;
-	struct k3_r5_core *core1, *core = kproc->core;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core = kproc->core;
 	int ret;
 
 	/* halt all applicable cores */
@@ -650,16 +694,6 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_stop(struct rproc *rproc)
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		/* do not allow core 0 to stop before core 1 */
-		core1 = list_last_entry(&cluster->cores, struct k3_r5_core,
-					elem);
-		if (core != core1 && core1->rproc->state != RPROC_OFFLINE) {
-			dev_err(dev, "%s: can not stop core 0 before core 1\n",
-				__func__);
-			ret = -EPERM;
-			goto out;
-		}
-
 		ret = k3_r5_core_halt(core);
 		if (ret)
 			goto out;
@@ -1154,12 +1188,6 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_configure_mode(struct k3_r5_rproc *kproc)
 		return reset_ctrl_status;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Skip the waiting mechanism for sequential power-on of cores if the
-	 * core has already been booted by another entity.
-	 */
-	core->released_from_reset = c_state;
-
 	ret = ti_sci_proc_get_status(core->tsp, &boot_vec, &cfg, &ctrl,
 				     &stat);
 	if (ret < 0) {
@@ -1304,26 +1332,6 @@ static int k3_r5_cluster_rproc_init(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		    cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_SINGLECPU ||
 		    cluster->mode == CLUSTER_MODE_SINGLECORE)
 			break;
-
-		/*
-		 * R5 cores require to be powered on sequentially, core0
-		 * should be in higher power state than core1 in a cluster
-		 * So, wait for current core to power up before proceeding
-		 * to next core and put timeout of 2sec for each core.
-		 *
-		 * This waiting mechanism is necessary because
-		 * rproc_auto_boot_callback() for core1 can be called before
-		 * core0 due to thread execution order.
-		 */
-		ret = wait_event_interruptible_timeout(cluster->core_transition,
-						       core->released_from_reset,
-						       msecs_to_jiffies(2000));
-		if (ret <= 0) {
-			dev_err(dev,
-				"Timed out waiting for %s core to power up!\n",
-				rproc->name);
-			goto out;
-		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
