diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/core.c b/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/core.c
index 0923bb905cc0..7c1495e4fe7a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/core.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/core.c
@@ -441,6 +441,9 @@ static struct platform_device *ixp23xx_devices[] __initdata = {
 
 void __init ixp23xx_sys_init(void)
 {
+	/* by default, the idle code is disabled */
+	disable_hlt();
+
 	*IXP23XX_EXP_UNIT_FUSE |= 0xf;
 	platform_add_devices(ixp23xx_devices, ARRAY_SIZE(ixp23xx_devices));
 }
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/include/mach/system.h b/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/include/mach/system.h
index 277dda7334b9..69f80006fc80 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/include/mach/system.h
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-ixp23xx/include/mach/system.h
@@ -9,8 +9,5 @@
  */
 static inline void arch_idle(void)
 {
-#if 0
-	if (!hlt_counter)
-		cpu_do_idle();
-#endif
+	cpu_do_idle();
 }