diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
index de40a5e227f4c8..5099e49151242c 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ static int sof_widget_free_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 				    struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 {
 	const struct sof_ipc_tplg_ops *tplg_ops = sof_ipc_get_ops(sdev, tplg);
+	struct snd_sof_pipeline *spipe = swidget->spipe;
 	struct snd_sof_widget *pipe_widget;
 	int err = 0;
 	int ret;
@@ -85,16 +86,21 @@ static int sof_widget_free_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 			err = ret;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * disable widget core. continue to route setup status and complete flag
-	 * even if this fails and return the appropriate error
-	 */
-	ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, swidget->core);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to disable target core: %d for widget %s\n",
-			swidget->core, swidget->widget->name);
-		if (!err)
-			err = ret;
+	/* disable cores associated with all modules in the pipeline and clear the complete flag */
+	if (swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler) {
+		int i;
+
+		for (i = 0; i < sdev->num_cores; i++) {
+			if (!(spipe->core_mask & BIT(i)))
+				continue;
+
+			ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, i);
+			dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to disable target core: %d for pipeline %s\n",
+				i, swidget->widget->name);
+			if (!err)
+				err = ret;
+		}
+		swidget->spipe->complete = 0;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -107,10 +113,6 @@ static int sof_widget_free_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 			err = ret;
 	}
 
-	/* clear pipeline complete */
-	if (swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler)
-		swidget->spipe->complete = 0;
-
 	if (!err)
 		dev_dbg(sdev->dev, "widget %s freed\n", swidget->widget->name);
 
@@ -133,8 +135,10 @@ static int sof_widget_setup_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 				     struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 {
 	const struct sof_ipc_tplg_ops *tplg_ops = sof_ipc_get_ops(sdev, tplg);
+	struct snd_sof_pipeline *spipe = swidget->spipe;
 	bool use_count_decremented = false;
 	int ret;
+	int i;
 
 	/* skip if there is no private data */
 	if (!swidget->private)
@@ -165,19 +169,26 @@ static int sof_widget_setup_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 			goto use_count_dec;
 	}
 
-	/* enable widget core */
-	ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_get(sdev, swidget->core);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to enable target core for widget %s\n",
-			swidget->widget->name);
-		goto pipe_widget_free;
+	/* enabled cores associated with all modules in a pipeline */
+	if (swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler) {
+		for (i = 0; i < sdev->num_cores; i++) {
+			if (!(spipe->core_mask & BIT(i)))
+				continue;
+
+			ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_get(sdev, i);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to enable target core %d for pipeline %s\n",
+					i, swidget->widget->name);
+				goto pipe_widget_free;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* setup widget in the DSP */
 	if (tplg_ops && tplg_ops->widget_setup) {
 		ret = tplg_ops->widget_setup(sdev, swidget);
 		if (ret < 0)
-			goto core_put;
+			goto pipe_widget_free;
 	}
 
 	/* send config for DAI components */
@@ -207,15 +218,20 @@ static int sof_widget_setup_unlocked(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 	return 0;
 
 widget_free:
-	/* widget use_count and core ref_count will both be decremented by sof_widget_free() */
+	/* widget use_count will be decremented by sof_widget_free() */
 	sof_widget_free_unlocked(sdev, swidget);
 	use_count_decremented = true;
-core_put:
-	if (!use_count_decremented)
-		snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, swidget->core);
 pipe_widget_free:
-	if (swidget->id != snd_soc_dapm_scheduler)
+	if (swidget->id != snd_soc_dapm_scheduler) {
 		sof_widget_free_unlocked(sdev, swidget->spipe->pipe_widget);
+	} else {
+		int j;
+
+		/* free all enabled cores */
+		for (j = 0; j < i; j++)
+			if (spipe->core_mask & BIT(j))
+				snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, j);
+	}
 use_count_dec:
 	if (!use_count_decremented)
 		swidget->use_count--;