diff --git a/arch/arm/configs/sama5_defconfig b/arch/arm/configs/sama5_defconfig
index 777c9e986425..2e1f096c96cb 100644
--- a/arch/arm/configs/sama5_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/configs/sama5_defconfig
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y
 CONFIG_FHANDLE=y
 CONFIG_IRQ_DOMAIN_DEBUG=y
+CONFIG_NO_HZ_IDLE=y
 CONFIG_LOG_BUF_SHIFT=14
 CONFIG_CGROUPS=y
 CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=y