diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-flood-test.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-flood-test.c
index 373f3a125372..7b72d1c9c739 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-flood-test.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-flood-test.c
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ static ssize_t sof_ipc_flood_dfs_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	/* flood test */
-	ret = sof_debug_ipc_flood_test(cdev, flood_duration_test,
-				       ipc_duration_ms, ipc_count);
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (!ret)
+		ret = sof_debug_ipc_flood_test(cdev, flood_duration_test,
+					       ipc_duration_ms, ipc_count);
 
 	err = pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-kernel-injector.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-kernel-injector.c
index 249bd2d6c8d2..d5984990098a 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-kernel-injector.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-kernel-injector.c
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ static ssize_t sof_kernel_msg_inject_dfs_write(struct file *file, const char __u
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	sof_client_ipc_rx_message(cdev, hdr, priv->kernel_buffer);
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (!ret)
+		sof_client_ipc_rx_message(cdev, hdr, priv->kernel_buffer);
 
 	ret = pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev);
 	if (ret < 0)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-msg-injector.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-msg-injector.c
index 9c8a0fbfb8df..c28f106de6ba 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-msg-injector.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-ipc-msg-injector.c
@@ -131,11 +131,15 @@ static int sof_msg_inject_send_message(struct sof_client_dev *cdev)
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	/* send the message */
-	ret = sof_client_ipc_tx_message(cdev, priv->tx_buffer, priv->rx_buffer,
-					priv->max_msg_size);
-	if (ret)
-		dev_err(dev, "IPC message send failed: %d\n", ret);
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (!ret) {
+		/* send the message */
+		ret = sof_client_ipc_tx_message(cdev, priv->tx_buffer,
+						priv->rx_buffer,
+						priv->max_msg_size);
+		if (ret)
+			dev_err(dev, "IPC message send failed: %d\n", ret);
+	}
 
 	err = pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-probes.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-probes.c
index f753e0faff99..124f55508159 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-probes.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client-probes.c
@@ -123,6 +123,10 @@ static int sof_probes_compr_set_params(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	ret = ipc->init(cdev, priv->extractor_stream_tag, rtd->dma_bytes);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		dev_err(dai->dev, "Failed to init probe: %d\n", ret);
@@ -224,6 +228,10 @@ static ssize_t sof_probes_dfs_points_read(struct file *file, char __user *to,
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (ret)
+		goto pm_error;
+
 	ret = ipc->points_info(cdev, &desc, &num_desc, type);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto pm_error;
@@ -312,9 +320,12 @@ sof_probes_dfs_points_write(struct file *file, const char __user *from,
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
-	ret = ipc->points_add(cdev, desc, bytes / sizeof(*desc));
-	if (!ret)
-		ret = count;
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (!ret) {
+		ret = ipc->points_add(cdev, desc, bytes / sizeof(*desc));
+		if (!ret)
+			ret = count;
+	}
 
 	err = pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
@@ -367,9 +378,12 @@ sof_probes_dfs_points_remove_write(struct file *file, const char __user *from,
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
-	ret = ipc->points_remove(cdev, &array[1], array[0]);
-	if (!ret)
-		ret = count;
+	ret = sof_client_boot_dsp(cdev);
+	if (!ret) {
+		ret = ipc->points_remove(cdev, &array[1], array[0]);
+		if (!ret)
+			ret = count;
+	}
 
 	err = pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.c
index 2dbfc7699c73..b0802484a2d3 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.c
@@ -486,6 +486,12 @@ enum sof_ipc_type sof_client_get_ipc_type(struct sof_client_dev *cdev)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_NS_GPL(sof_client_get_ipc_type, "SND_SOC_SOF_CLIENT");
 
+int sof_client_boot_dsp(struct sof_client_dev *cdev)
+{
+	return snd_sof_boot_dsp_firmware(sof_client_dev_to_sof_dev(cdev));
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_NS_GPL(sof_client_boot_dsp, "SND_SOC_SOF_CLIENT");
+
 /* module refcount management of SOF core */
 int sof_client_core_module_get(struct sof_client_dev *cdev)
 {
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.h b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.h
index 1a9015e38474..3b02506c03f1 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.h
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-client.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ const struct sof_ipc_fw_version *sof_client_get_fw_version(struct sof_client_dev
 size_t sof_client_get_ipc_max_payload_size(struct sof_client_dev *cdev);
 enum sof_ipc_type sof_client_get_ipc_type(struct sof_client_dev *cdev);
 
+/* DSP/firmware boot request */
+int sof_client_boot_dsp(struct sof_client_dev *cdev);
+
 /* module refcount management of SOF core */
 int sof_client_core_module_get(struct sof_client_dev *cdev);
 void sof_client_core_module_put(struct sof_client_dev *cdev);