diff --git a/drivers/mmc/host/bcm2835.c b/drivers/mmc/host/bcm2835.c
index 229dc18f0581beb26733222be97f981b2038fb60..768972af8b853cf882b1b3311ed8fa1b0a64a49e 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/host/bcm2835.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/host/bcm2835.c
@@ -1265,7 +1265,8 @@ static int bcm2835_add_host(struct bcm2835_host *host)
 	char pio_limit_string[20];
 	int ret;
 
-	mmc->f_max = host->max_clk;
+	if (!mmc->f_max || mmc->f_max > host->max_clk)
+		mmc->f_max = host->max_clk;
 	mmc->f_min = host->max_clk / SDCDIV_MAX_CDIV;
 
 	mmc->max_busy_timeout = ~0 / (mmc->f_max / 1000);