diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi_imx.c b/drivers/spi/spi_imx.c
index 656be4a..aee9ad6 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi_imx.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi_imx.c
@@ -1163,6 +1163,9 @@
 	return -EINVAL;
 }
 
+/* the spi->mode bits understood by this driver: */
+#define MODEBITS (SPI_CPOL | SPI_CPHA | SPI_CS_HIGH)
+
 /* On first setup bad values must free chip_data memory since will cause
    spi_new_device to fail. Bad value setup from protocol driver are simply not
    applied and notified to the calling driver. */
@@ -1174,6 +1177,12 @@
 	u32 tmp;
 	int status = 0;
 
+	if (spi->mode & ~MODEBITS) {
+		dev_dbg(&spi->dev, "setup: unsupported mode bits %x\n",
+			spi->mode & ~MODEBITS);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	/* Get controller data */
 	chip_info = spi->controller_data;
 
@@ -1245,21 +1254,6 @@
 
 	/* SPI mode */
 	tmp = spi->mode;
-	if (tmp & SPI_LSB_FIRST) {
-		status = -EINVAL;
-		if (first_setup) {
-			dev_err(&spi->dev,
-				"setup - "
-				"HW doesn't support LSB first transfer\n");
-			goto err_first_setup;
-		} else {
-			dev_err(&spi->dev,
-				"setup - "
-				"HW doesn't support LSB first transfer, "
-				"default to MSB first\n");
-			spi->mode &= ~SPI_LSB_FIRST;
-		}
-	}
 	if (tmp & SPI_CS_HIGH) {
 		u32_EDIT(chip->control,
 				SPI_CONTROL_SSPOL, SPI_CONTROL_SSPOL_ACT_HIGH);