diff --git a/drivers/mipi_dbi/mipi_dbi_spi.c b/drivers/mipi_dbi/mipi_dbi_spi.c
index 0314fe5c31f..e2b3aefe53b 100644
--- a/drivers/mipi_dbi/mipi_dbi_spi.c
+++ b/drivers/mipi_dbi/mipi_dbi_spi.c
@@ -66,21 +66,21 @@ static int mipi_dbi_spi_write_helper(const struct device *dev,
 
 	if (dbi_config->mode == MIPI_DBI_MODE_SPI_3WIRE &&
 	    IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MIPI_DBI_SPI_3WIRE)) {
-		struct spi_config tmp_cfg;
-		/* We have to emulate 3 wire mode by packing the data/command
-		 * bit into the upper bit of the SPI transfer.
-		 * switch SPI to 9 bit mode, and write the transfer
+		/* 9 bit word mode must be used, as the command/data bit
+		 * is stored before the data word.
 		 */
-		memcpy(&tmp_cfg, &dbi_config->config, sizeof(tmp_cfg));
-		tmp_cfg.operation &= ~SPI_WORD_SIZE_MASK;
-		tmp_cfg.operation |= SPI_WORD_SET(9);
+		if ((dbi_config->config.operation & SPI_WORD_SIZE_MASK)
+		    != SPI_WORD_SET(9)) {
+			return -ENOTSUP;
+		}
 		buffer.buf = &data->spi_byte;
-		buffer.len = 1;
+		buffer.len = 2;
 
 		/* Send command */
 		if (cmd_present) {
 			data->spi_byte = cmd;
-			ret = spi_write(config->spi_dev, &tmp_cfg, &buf_set);
+			ret = spi_write(config->spi_dev, &dbi_config->config,
+					&buf_set);
 			if (ret < 0) {
 				goto out;
 			}
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ static int mipi_dbi_spi_write_helper(const struct device *dev,
 		/* Write data, byte by byte */
 		for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
 			data->spi_byte = MIPI_DBI_DC_BIT | data_buf[i];
-			ret = spi_write(config->spi_dev, &tmp_cfg, &buf_set);
+			ret = spi_write(config->spi_dev, &dbi_config->config,
+					&buf_set);
 			if (ret < 0) {
 				goto out;
 			}