diff --git a/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c b/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
index 74f65f22094504..d2bf4f95a357a0 100644
--- a/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
+++ b/drivers/remoteproc/ti_k3_r5_remoteproc.c
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ 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 *core;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core0, *core;
 	u32 boot_addr;
 	int ret;
 
@@ -569,6 +569,15 @@ 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)
 			goto put_mbox;
@@ -614,7 +623,8 @@ static int k3_r5_rproc_stop(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 device *dev = kproc->dev;
+	struct k3_r5_core *core1, *core = kproc->core;
 	int ret;
 
 	/* halt all applicable cores */
@@ -627,6 +637,15 @@ 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__);
+			return -EPERM;
+		}
+
 		ret = k3_r5_core_halt(core);
 		if (ret)
 			goto out;