diff --git a/src/audio/dai.c b/src/audio/dai.c
index 1330880dc..4563017dc 100644
--- a/src/audio/dai.c
+++ b/src/audio/dai.c
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@
 #define DAI_PLAYBACK_STREAM	0
 #define DAI_CAPTURE_STREAM	1
 
+#define DAI_PTR_INIT_DAI	1	/* buffer ptr initialized by dai */
+#define DAI_PTR_INIT_HOST	2	/* buffer ptr initialized by host */
+
 /* tracing */
 #define trace_dai(__e) trace_event(TRACE_CLASS_DAI, __e)
 #define trace_dai_error(__e)   trace_error(TRACE_CLASS_DAI, __e)
@@ -523,6 +526,8 @@ static void dai_pointer_init(struct comp_dev *dev)
 	struct comp_buffer *dma_buffer;
 	struct dai_data *dd = comp_get_drvdata(dev);
 
+	dd->pointer_init = DAI_PTR_INIT_DAI;
+
 	/* not required for capture streams */
 	if (dev->params.direction == SOF_IPC_STREAM_PLAYBACK) {
 		dma_buffer = list_first_item(&dev->bsource_list,
@@ -532,6 +537,7 @@ static void dai_pointer_init(struct comp_dev *dev)
 		case SOF_COMP_HOST:
 		case SOF_COMP_SG_HOST:
 			/* buffer is preloaded and advanced by host DMA engine */
+			dd->pointer_init = DAI_PTR_INIT_HOST;
 			break;
 		default:
 			/* advance source pipeline w_ptr by one period
@@ -540,8 +546,6 @@ static void dai_pointer_init(struct comp_dev *dev)
 			break;
 		}
 	}
-
-	dd->pointer_init = 1;
 }
 
 /* used to pass standard and bespoke command (with data) to component */
@@ -563,8 +567,12 @@ static int dai_comp_trigger(struct comp_dev *dev, int cmd)
 		trace_dai("tsa");
 		if (!dd->pointer_init)
 			dai_pointer_init(dev);
-		/* only start the DAI if we are not XRUN handling */
-		if (dd->xrun == 0) {
+		/* only start the DAI if we are not XRUN handling
+		 * and the ptr is not initialized by the host as in this
+		 * case start is deferred to the first copy call as the buffer
+		 * is populated by the host only then
+		 */
+		if (dd->xrun == 0 && dd->pointer_init != DAI_PTR_INIT_HOST) {
 			/* start the DAI */
 			ret = dma_start(dd->dma, dd->chan);
 			if (ret < 0)
@@ -632,6 +640,18 @@ static int dai_comp_trigger(struct comp_dev *dev, int cmd)
 /* copy and process stream data from source to sink buffers */
 static int dai_copy(struct comp_dev *dev)
 {
+	struct dai_data *dd = comp_get_drvdata(dev);
+	int ret;
+
+	if (dd->pointer_init == DAI_PTR_INIT_HOST) {
+		/* start the DAI */
+		ret = dma_start(dd->dma, dd->chan);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return ret;
+		dai_trigger(dd->dai, COMP_TRIGGER_START, dev->params.direction);
+		dd->pointer_init = DAI_PTR_INIT_DAI; /* next copy just quits */
+		platform_dai_wallclock(dev, &dd->wallclock);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/audio/host.c b/src/audio/host.c
index a1d31af0b..4c555770a 100644
--- a/src/audio/host.c
+++ b/src/audio/host.c
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ static int host_copy_int(struct comp_dev *dev, bool preload_run)
 #if defined CONFIG_DMA_GW
 	/* tell gateway to copy another period */
 	ret = dma_copy(hd->dma, hd->chan, hd->period_bytes,
-		       preload_run ? DMA_COPY_NO_COMMIT : 0);
+		       preload_run ? DMA_COPY_PRELOAD : 0);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto out;
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/hda-dma.c b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/hda-dma.c
index 5293ba88b..6545bc701 100644
--- a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/hda-dma.c
+++ b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/hda-dma.c
@@ -86,11 +86,15 @@
 
 #define HDA_LINK_1MS_US	1000
 
+#define HDA_STATE_PRELOAD	BIT(0)
+#define HDA_STATE_BF_WAIT	BIT(1)
+
 struct hda_chan_data {
 	struct dma *dma;
 	uint32_t index;
 	uint32_t stream_id;
-	uint32_t status;
+	uint32_t status;	/* common status */
+	uint32_t state;		/* hda specific additional state */
 	uint32_t desc_count;
 	uint32_t desc_avail;
 	uint32_t direction;
@@ -186,42 +190,77 @@ static inline uint32_t hda_dma_get_data_size(struct dma *dma, uint32_t chan)
 	return ds;
 }
 
-static int hda_dma_copy_ch(struct dma *dma, struct hda_chan_data *chan,
-			   int bytes, uint32_t flags)
+static int hda_dma_preload(struct dma *dma, struct hda_chan_data *chan)
 {
-	struct dma_sg_elem next;
+	struct dma_sg_elem next = {
+			.src = DMA_RELOAD_LLI,
+			.dest = DMA_RELOAD_LLI,
+			.size = DMA_RELOAD_LLI
+	};
+	int i;
+	int period_cnt;
+
+	/* waiting for buffer full after start
+	 * first try is unblocking, then blocking
+	 */
+	while (!(host_dma_reg_read(dma, chan->index, DGCS) & DGCS_BF) &&
+	       (chan->state & HDA_STATE_BF_WAIT))
+		;
+
+	if (host_dma_reg_read(dma, chan->index, DGCS) & DGCS_BF) {
+		chan->state &= ~(HDA_STATE_PRELOAD | HDA_STATE_BF_WAIT);
+		if (chan->cb) {
+			/* loop over each period */
+			period_cnt = chan->buffer_bytes /
+					chan->period_bytes;
+			for (i = 0; i < period_cnt; i++)
+				chan->cb(chan->cb_data,
+					 DMA_IRQ_TYPE_LLIST, &next);
+			/* do not need to test out next in this path */
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* next call in pre-load state will be blocking */
+		chan->state |= HDA_STATE_BF_WAIT;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int hda_dma_copy_ch(struct dma *dma, struct hda_chan_data *chan,
+			   int bytes)
+{
+	struct dma_sg_elem next = {
+			.src = DMA_RELOAD_LLI,
+			.dest = DMA_RELOAD_LLI,
+			.size = DMA_RELOAD_LLI
+	};
+	uint32_t flags;
 	uint32_t dgcs = 0;
 
 	tracev_host("GwU");
-	if (flags & DMA_COPY_NO_COMMIT) {
-		/* delay to fill the buffer, only for the first time
-		 * for _input_ dma.
-		 */
-		idelay(PLATFORM_DEFAULT_DELAY);
-	} else {
-		/* clear link xruns */
-		dgcs = host_dma_reg_read(dma, chan->index, DGCS);
-		if (dgcs & DGCS_BOR)
-			hda_update_bits(dma, chan->index,
-					DGCS, DGCS_BOR, DGCS_BOR);
 
-		/* make sure that previous transfer is complete */
-		if (chan->direction == DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV) {
-			while (hda_dma_get_free_size(dma, chan->index) <
-			       bytes)
-				idelay(PLATFORM_DEFAULT_DELAY);
-		}
+	/* clear link xruns */
+	dgcs = host_dma_reg_read(dma, chan->index, DGCS);
+	if (dgcs & DGCS_BOR)
+		hda_update_bits(dma, chan->index,
+				DGCS, DGCS_BOR, DGCS_BOR);
 
-		/*
-		 * set BFPI to let host gateway knows we have read size,
-		 * which will trigger next copy start.
-		 */
-		if (chan->direction == DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV)
-			hda_dma_inc_link_fp(dma, chan->index, bytes);
-		else
-			hda_dma_inc_fp(dma, chan->index, bytes);
+	/* make sure that previous transfer is complete */
+	if (chan->direction == DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV) {
+		while (hda_dma_get_free_size(dma, chan->index) <
+		       bytes)
+			idelay(PLATFORM_DEFAULT_DELAY);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * set BFPI to let host gateway knows we have read size,
+	 * which will trigger next copy start.
+	 */
+	if (chan->direction == DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV)
+		hda_dma_inc_link_fp(dma, chan->index, bytes);
+	else
+		hda_dma_inc_fp(dma, chan->index, bytes);
+
 	spin_lock_irq(&dma->lock, flags);
 	if (chan->cb) {
 		next.src = DMA_RELOAD_LLI;
@@ -245,8 +284,8 @@ static uint64_t hda_dma_work(void *data, uint64_t delay)
 {
 	struct hda_chan_data *chan = (struct hda_chan_data *)data;
 
-	hda_dma_copy_ch(chan->dma, chan, chan->period_bytes, 0);
-	/* next time to re-arm (TODO: should sub elapsed time?) */
+	hda_dma_copy_ch(chan->dma, chan, chan->period_bytes);
+	/* next time to re-arm */
 	return HDA_LINK_1MS_US;
 }
 
@@ -254,8 +293,15 @@ static uint64_t hda_dma_work(void *data, uint64_t delay)
 static int hda_dma_copy(struct dma *dma, int channel, int bytes, uint32_t flags)
 {
 	struct dma_pdata *p = dma_get_drvdata(dma);
+	struct hda_chan_data *chan = p->chan + channel;
 
-	return hda_dma_copy_ch(dma, &p->chan[channel], bytes, flags);
+	if (flags & DMA_COPY_PRELOAD)
+		chan->state |= HDA_STATE_PRELOAD;
+
+	if (chan->state & HDA_STATE_PRELOAD)
+		return hda_dma_preload(dma, chan);
+	else
+		return hda_dma_copy_ch(dma, chan, bytes);
 }
 
 /* acquire the specific DMA channel */
@@ -292,6 +338,7 @@ static void hda_dma_channel_put_unlocked(struct dma *dma, int channel)
 
 	/* set new state */
 	p->chan[channel].status = COMP_STATE_INIT;
+	p->chan[channel].state = 0;
 	p->chan[channel].period_bytes = 0;
 	p->chan[channel].buffer_bytes = 0;
 	p->chan[channel].cb = NULL;
@@ -495,6 +542,12 @@ static int hda_dma_set_config(struct dma *dma, int channel,
 		if (buffer_addr == 0)
 			buffer_addr = addr;
 	}
+	/* buffer size must be multiple of hda dma burst size */
+	if (buffer_bytes % PLATFORM_HDA_BUFFER_ALIGNMENT) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	p->chan[channel].period_bytes = period_bytes;
 	p->chan[channel].buffer_bytes = buffer_bytes;
 
@@ -511,7 +564,7 @@ static int hda_dma_set_config(struct dma *dma, int channel,
 	if (config->direction == DMA_DIR_LMEM_TO_HMEM ||
 	    config->direction == DMA_DIR_HMEM_TO_LMEM)
 		host_dma_reg_write(dma, channel, DGMBS,
-				   ALIGN_UP(period_bytes,
+				   ALIGN_UP(buffer_bytes,
 					    PLATFORM_HDA_BUFFER_ALIGNMENT));
 
 	/* firmware control buffer */
diff --git a/src/include/sof/dma.h b/src/include/sof/dma.h
index e9536c64f..a6fcc9a14 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/dma.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/dma.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 #define DMA_IRQ_TYPE_LLIST	BIT(1)
 
 /* DMA copy flags */
-#define DMA_COPY_NO_COMMIT	BIT(0)
+#define DMA_COPY_PRELOAD	BIT(0)
 
 /* We will use this macro in cb handler to inform dma that
  * we need to stop the reload for special purpose