diff --git a/src/arch/xtensa/lib/cpu.c b/src/arch/xtensa/lib/cpu.c
index fc2f9458d..b465dd5d0 100644
--- a/src/arch/xtensa/lib/cpu.c
+++ b/src/arch/xtensa/lib/cpu.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void cpu_power_down_core(void)
 {
 	arch_interrupt_global_disable();
 
-	idc_free();
+	idc_free(0);
 
 	schedule_free();
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
index 72f7b0d65..cea98740f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
+++ b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ int platform_idc_restore(void)
 /**
  * \brief Frees IDC data and unregisters interrupt.
  */
-void idc_free(void)
+void idc_free(uint32_t flags)
 {
 	struct idc *idc = *idc_get();
 	int core = cpu_get_id();
@@ -299,5 +299,8 @@ void idc_free(void)
 			idc_write(IPC_IDCTFC(i), core, idctfc);
 	}
 
+	if (flags & IDC_FREE_IRQ_ONLY)
+		return;
+
 	schedule_task_free(&idc->idc_task);
 }
diff --git a/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h b/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
index a1481ac61..800710c26 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@
 /** \brief Max IDC message payload size in bytes. */
 #define IDC_MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE	96
 
+/** \brief IDC free function flags */
+#define IDC_FREE_IRQ_ONLY	BIT(0)	/**< disable only irqs */
+
 /** \brief IDC message payload. */
 struct idc_payload {
 	uint8_t data[IDC_MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE];
@@ -128,7 +131,7 @@ static inline struct idc_payload *idc_payload_get(struct idc *idc,
 
 void idc_enable_interrupts(int target_core, int source_core);
 
-void idc_free(void);
+void idc_free(uint32_t flags);
 
 int platform_idc_init(void);