diff --git a/components/hal/esp32s2/include/hal/i2c_ll.h b/components/hal/esp32s2/include/hal/i2c_ll.h
index f9a66b61d6..2f669b68c0 100644
--- a/components/hal/esp32s2/include/hal/i2c_ll.h
+++ b/components/hal/esp32s2/include/hal/i2c_ll.h
@@ -653,10 +653,12 @@ static inline void i2c_ll_enable_controller_clock(i2c_dev_t *hw, bool en)
 static inline void i2c_ll_master_init(i2c_dev_t *hw)
 {
     typeof(hw->ctr) ctrl_reg;
+    uint32_t ref_always_on = hw->ctr.ref_always_on;
     ctrl_reg.val = 0;
     ctrl_reg.ms_mode = 1;
     ctrl_reg.sda_force_out = 1;
     ctrl_reg.scl_force_out = 1;
+    ctrl_reg.ref_always_on = ref_always_on;
     hw->ctr.val = ctrl_reg.val;
 }