diff --git a/drivers/mmc/host/cqhci.c b/drivers/mmc/host/cqhci.c
index 7ba4f714106f..a0a9cb6e2a15 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/host/cqhci.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/host/cqhci.c
@@ -932,10 +932,10 @@ static bool cqhci_halt(struct mmc_host *mmc, unsigned int timeout)
 /*
  * After halting we expect to be able to use the command line. We interpret the
  * failure to halt to mean the data lines might still be in use (and the upper
- * layers will need to send a STOP command), so we set the timeout based on a
- * generous command timeout.
+ * layers will need to send a STOP command), however failing to halt complicates
+ * the recovery, so set a timeout that would reasonably allow I/O to complete.
  */
-#define CQHCI_START_HALT_TIMEOUT	5
+#define CQHCI_START_HALT_TIMEOUT	500
 
 static void cqhci_recovery_start(struct mmc_host *mmc)
 {