diff --git a/drivers/thermal/msm_thermal.c b/drivers/thermal/msm_thermal.c
index c6ba24e56a7..e0d8d145ec6 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/msm_thermal.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/msm_thermal.c
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ static void disable_msm_thermal(void)
 	int cpu = 0;
 	struct cpufreq_policy *cpu_policy = NULL;
 
+	/* make sure check_temp is no longer running */
+	cancel_delayed_work(&check_temp_work);
+	flush_scheduled_work();
+
 	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
 		cpu_policy = cpufreq_cpu_get(cpu);
 		if (cpu_policy) {