diff --git a/src/sdhci.c b/src/sdhci.c
index 42af1fe713..059bc030bd 100644
--- a/src/sdhci.c
+++ b/src/sdhci.c
@@ -1699,6 +1699,10 @@ static int sdhci_transfer(int dir, uint32_t cmd_index, uint32_t block_addr,
             if (reg & buf_ready_flag) {
                 uint32_t i, xfer_sz = (sz > SDHCI_BLOCK_SIZE) ?
                     SDHCI_BLOCK_SIZE : sz;
+                /* BWR is W1C: ack before refill or lose the next assertion. */
+                if (dir == SDHCI_DIR_WRITE) {
+                    SDHCI_REG_SET(SDHCI_SRS12, SDHCI_SRS12_BWR);
+                }
                 for (i = 0; i < xfer_sz; i += 4) {
                     if (dir == SDHCI_DIR_READ) {
                 #ifdef SDHCI_PIO_WRITE_NONCACHED_ALIAS
@@ -1745,8 +1749,7 @@ static int sdhci_transfer(int dir, uint32_t cmd_index, uint32_t block_addr,
                  * (the CM4 microSD path, which drives the same EMMC2 block).
                  * For multi-block READ: clear BRR by writing 1 to it (W1C),
                  * then the outer loop waits for BRR to be set again when the
-                 * next block's data is available.
-                 * For WRITE: BWR auto-clears when buffer full, don't touch. */
+                 * next block's data is available. */
                 if (sz > 0 && dir == SDHCI_DIR_READ) {
                     SDHCI_REG_SET(SDHCI_SRS12, SDHCI_SRS12_BRR);
                 }
diff --git a/tools/unit-tests/unit-sdhci-disk-unaligned.c b/tools/unit-tests/unit-sdhci-disk-unaligned.c
index d7dd4b377c..c48af4ecab 100644
--- a/tools/unit-tests/unit-sdhci-disk-unaligned.c
+++ b/tools/unit-tests/unit-sdhci-disk-unaligned.c
@@ -77,8 +77,25 @@ void sdhci_reg_write(uint32_t offset, uint32_t val)
     if (offset == SDHCI_SRS08 && xfer.active && !xfer.is_read) {
         uint32_t pos = xfer.block_addr * SDHCI_BLOCK_SIZE + (xfer.word_index * 4);
 
+        /* Beginning a block while BWR is still asserted means the driver
+         * refilled without acknowledging it. Real hardware overruns and
+         * stalls there; fail the transfer so the test reports it. */
+        if ((xfer.word_index % xfer.word_count) == 0 &&
+            (mock_regs[SDHCI_SRS12 / sizeof(uint32_t)] & SDHCI_SRS12_BWR)) {
+            mock_regs[SDHCI_SRS12 / sizeof(uint32_t)] |= SDHCI_SRS12_EINT;
+        }
         memcpy(&mock_disk[pos], &val, sizeof(val));
         xfer.word_index++;
+        /* BWR is raised once per block, not latched for the whole transfer:
+         * re-assert it when the block just taken has drained and another is
+         * still expected. */
+        if ((xfer.word_index % xfer.word_count) == 0) {
+            uint32_t blocks = mock_regs[SDHCI_SRS01 / sizeof(uint32_t)] >>
+                SDHCI_SRS01_BCCT_SHIFT;
+            if ((xfer.word_index / xfer.word_count) < blocks) {
+                mock_regs[SDHCI_SRS12 / sizeof(uint32_t)] |= SDHCI_SRS12_BWR;
+            }
+        }
         return;
     }