diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_v4l2_vidc.c b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_v4l2_vidc.c
index 51d75fd8543b..dde711169a70 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_v4l2_vidc.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_v4l2_vidc.c
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ static int msm_vidc_initialize_core(struct platform_device *pdev,
 		init_completion(&core->completions[i]);
 	}
 
+	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&core->fw_unload_work, msm_vidc_fw_unload_handler);
 	return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
index 95fec1262c4e..590850211812 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
-#include <linux/workqueue.h>
 #include <soc/qcom/subsystem_restart.h>
 #include <asm/div64.h>
 #include "msm_vidc_common.h"
@@ -2244,6 +2243,7 @@ static int msm_comm_init_core(struct msm_vidc_inst *inst)
 			goto fail_load_fw;
 		}
 		core->state = VIDC_CORE_LOADED;
+		dprintk(VIDC_DBG, "Firmware downloaded\n");
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&core->lock);
 
@@ -2281,7 +2281,6 @@ fail_vote_bus:
 
 static int msm_vidc_deinit_core(struct msm_vidc_inst *inst)
 {
-	int rc = 0;
 	struct msm_vidc_core *core;
 	struct hfi_device *hdev;
 
@@ -2305,35 +2304,22 @@ static int msm_vidc_deinit_core(struct msm_vidc_inst *inst)
 
 	mutex_lock(&core->lock);
 	if (list_empty(&core->instances)) {
-		if (core->state > VIDC_CORE_INIT) {
-			if (core->resources.ocmem_size) {
-				if (inst->state != MSM_VIDC_CORE_INVALID)
-					msm_comm_unset_ocmem(core);
-				call_hfi_op(hdev, free_ocmem,
-						hdev->hfi_device_data);
-			}
-			dprintk(VIDC_DBG, "Calling vidc_hal_core_release\n");
-			rc = call_hfi_op(hdev, core_release,
-					hdev->hfi_device_data);
-			if (rc) {
-				dprintk(VIDC_ERR,
-					"Failed to release core, id = %d\n",
-					core->id);
-				goto exit;
-			}
-		}
+		cancel_delayed_work(&core->fw_unload_work);
 
-		core->state = VIDC_CORE_UNINIT;
-
-		call_hfi_op(hdev, unload_fw, hdev->hfi_device_data);
-		msm_comm_unvote_buses(core);
+		/*
+		* Delay unloading of firmware for 10 sec. This is useful
+		* in avoiding firmware download delays in cases where we
+		* will have a burst of back to back video playback sessions
+		* e.g. thumbnail generation.
+		*/
+		schedule_delayed_work(&core->fw_unload_work,
+			msecs_to_jiffies(10000));
 	}
 
 core_already_uninited:
 	change_inst_state(inst, MSM_VIDC_CORE_UNINIT);
-exit:
 	mutex_unlock(&core->lock);
-	return rc;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int msm_comm_force_cleanup(struct msm_vidc_inst *inst)
@@ -4541,3 +4527,48 @@ int msm_comm_smem_get_domain_partition(struct msm_vidc_inst *inst,
 	return msm_smem_get_domain_partition(inst->mem_client, flags,
 			buffer_type, domain_num, partition_num);
 }
+
+void msm_vidc_fw_unload_handler(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct msm_vidc_core *core = NULL;
+	struct hfi_device *hdev = NULL;
+	int rc = 0;
+
+	core = container_of(work, struct msm_vidc_core, fw_unload_work.work);
+	if (!core || !core->device) {
+		dprintk(VIDC_ERR, "%s - invalid work or core handle\n",
+				__func__);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	hdev = core->device;
+
+	mutex_lock(&core->lock);
+	if (list_empty(&core->instances) &&
+		core->state != VIDC_CORE_UNINIT) {
+		if (core->state > VIDC_CORE_INIT) {
+			if (core->resources.ocmem_size) {
+				if (core->state != VIDC_CORE_INVALID)
+					msm_comm_unset_ocmem(core);
+				call_hfi_op(hdev, free_ocmem,
+						hdev->hfi_device_data);
+			}
+			dprintk(VIDC_DBG, "Calling vidc_hal_core_release\n");
+			rc = call_hfi_op(hdev, core_release,
+					hdev->hfi_device_data);
+			if (rc) {
+				dprintk(VIDC_ERR,
+					"Failed to release core, id = %d\n",
+					core->id);
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+
+		core->state = VIDC_CORE_UNINIT;
+
+		call_hfi_op(hdev, unload_fw, hdev->hfi_device_data);
+		dprintk(VIDC_DBG, "Firmware unloaded\n");
+		msm_comm_unvote_buses(core);
+	}
+	mutex_unlock(&core->lock);
+}
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_internal.h b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_internal.h
index a10d39bf8607..8ac9f0a04304 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_internal.h
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_internal.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <linux/types.h>
 #include <linux/completion.h>
 #include <linux/wait.h>
+#include <linux/workqueue.h>
 #include <linux/msm-bus.h>
 #include <linux/msm-bus-board.h>
 #include <soc/qcom/ocmem.h>
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ struct msm_vidc_core {
 	u32 enc_codec_supported;
 	u32 dec_codec_supported;
 	struct msm_vidc_idle_stats idle_stats;
+	struct delayed_work fw_unload_work;
 };
 
 struct msm_vidc_inst {
@@ -391,4 +393,5 @@ struct msm_smem *msm_smem_user_to_kernel(void *clt, int fd, u32 offset,
 				enum hal_buffer buffer_type);
 int msm_smem_get_domain_partition(void *clt, u32 flags, enum hal_buffer
 		buffer_type, int *domain_num, int *partition_num);
+void msm_vidc_fw_unload_handler(struct work_struct *work);
 #endif