diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/omap-common/mem-common.c b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/omap-common/mem-common.c
index 11be480abd..5bc7e1f19b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/omap-common/mem-common.c
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/omap-common/mem-common.c
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ void gpmc_init(void)
 	writel(0x00000008, &gpmc_cfg->sysconfig);
 	writel(0x00000000, &gpmc_cfg->irqstatus);
 	writel(0x00000000, &gpmc_cfg->irqenable);
-	writel(0x00000000, &gpmc_cfg->timeout_control);
+	/* disable timeout, set a safe reset value */
+	writel(0x00001ff0, &gpmc_cfg->timeout_control);
 #ifdef CONFIG_NOR
 	writel(0x00000200, &gpmc_cfg->config);
 #else