diff --git a/src/drivers/imx/sai.c b/src/drivers/imx/sai.c
index 4e7366e2200e..6ab240b49e95 100644
--- a/src/drivers/imx/sai.c
+++ b/src/drivers/imx/sai.c
@@ -89,10 +89,6 @@ static void sai_start(struct dai *dai, int direction)
 	/* enable DMA requests */
 	dai_update_bits(dai, REG_SAI_XCSR(direction),
 			REG_SAI_CSR_FRDE, REG_SAI_CSR_FRDE);
-#ifdef CONFIG_IMX8M
-	dai_update_bits(dai, REG_SAI_MCTL, REG_SAI_MCTL_MCLK_EN,
-			REG_SAI_MCTL_MCLK_EN);
-#endif
 
 	chan_idx = BIT(0);
 	/* RX3 supports capture on imx8ulp */
@@ -364,6 +360,17 @@ static inline int sai_set_config(struct dai *dai, struct ipc_config_dai *common_
 	dai_update_bits(dai, REG_SAI_XMR(REG_RX_DIR), REG_SAI_XMR_MASK,
 			twm);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_IMX8M
+	/*
+	 * For i.MX8MP, MCLK is bound with TX enable bit.
+	 * Therefore, enable transmitter to output MCLK
+	 */
+	dai_update_bits(dai, REG_SAI_XCSR(DAI_DIR_PLAYBACK),
+			REG_SAI_CSR_TERE, REG_SAI_CSR_TERE);
+	dai_update_bits(dai, REG_SAI_MCTL, REG_SAI_MCTL_MCLK_EN,
+			REG_SAI_MCTL_MCLK_EN);
+#endif
+
 	return 0;
 }