diff --git a/src/arch/xtensa/include/arch/wait.h b/src/arch/xtensa/include/arch/wait.h
index e1cca01c32d8..857b50e09560 100644
--- a/src/arch/xtensa/include/arch/wait.h
+++ b/src/arch/xtensa/include/arch/wait.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
  */
 
 #include <xtensa/xtruntime.h>
+#include <arch/interrupt.h>
+#include <sof/panic.h>
+
 
 #if defined(PLATFORM_WAITI_DELAY)
 
@@ -36,6 +39,10 @@ static inline void arch_wait_for_interrupt(int level)
 {
 	int i;
 
+	/* can only eneter WFI when at runlevel 0 i.e. not IRQ level */
+	if (arch_interrupt_get_level() > 0)
+		panic(SOF_IPC_PANIC_WFI);
+
 	/* this sequnce must be atomic on LX6 */
 	XTOS_SET_INTLEVEL(5);
 
@@ -55,7 +62,11 @@ static inline void arch_wait_for_interrupt(int level)
 
 static inline void arch_wait_for_interrupt(int level)
 {
-	 asm volatile("waiti 0");
+	/* can only eneter WFI when at runlevel 0 i.e. not IRQ level */
+	if (arch_interrupt_get_level() > 0)
+		panic(SOF_IPC_PANIC_WFI);
+
+	asm volatile("waiti 0");
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/include/uapi/ipc.h b/src/include/uapi/ipc.h
index 68f638e4e983..1fae8096b58a 100644
--- a/src/include/uapi/ipc.h
+++ b/src/include/uapi/ipc.h
@@ -137,16 +137,17 @@
 #define SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC			0x0dead000
 #define SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC_MASK		0x0ffff000
 #define SOF_IPC_PANIC_CODE_MASK			0x00000fff
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_MEM			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_WORK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 1)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_IPC			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 2)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_ARCH			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 3)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_PLATFORM			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 4)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_TASK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 5)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_EXCEPTION			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 6)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_DEADLOCK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 7)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_STACK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 8)
-#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_IDLE			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 9)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_MEM			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x0)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_WORK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x1)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_IPC			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x2)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_ARCH			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x3)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_PLATFORM			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x4)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_TASK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x5)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_EXCEPTION			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x6)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_DEADLOCK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x7)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_STACK			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x8)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_IDLE			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0x9)
+#define SOF_IPC_PANIC_WFI			(SOF_IPC_PANIC_MAGIC | 0xa)
 
 /*
  * SOF memory capabilities, add new ones at the end