diff --git a/drivers/arm/gic/v3/gicv3_helpers.c b/drivers/arm/gic/v3/gicv3_helpers.c
index b27debfa7..62ae0d276 100644
--- a/drivers/arm/gic/v3/gicv3_helpers.c
+++ b/drivers/arm/gic/v3/gicv3_helpers.c
@@ -35,11 +35,22 @@ uintptr_t gicv3_get_multichip_base(uint32_t spi_id, uintptr_t gicd_base)
  *****************************************************************************/
 void gicv3_rdistif_mark_core_awake(uintptr_t gicr_base)
 {
+	uint32_t waker = gicr_read_waker(gicr_base);
+
+	/* Only try to mark it as awake when it is asleep. */
+	if ((waker & WAKER_PS_BIT) == 0U) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/*
-	 * The WAKER_PS_BIT should be changed to 0
-	 * only when WAKER_CA_BIT is 1.
+	 * ProcessorSleep must only be changed when ChildrenAsleep is 1.
+	 * If PS is 1 and CA isn't, wait for that to happen, but warn.
 	 */
-	assert((gicr_read_waker(gicr_base) & WAKER_CA_BIT) != 0U);
+	if ((waker & WAKER_CA_BIT) == 0U) {
+		WARN("GICR_WAKER.ChildrenAsleep unexpectedly set, waiting...\n");
+		while ((gicr_read_waker(gicr_base) & WAKER_CA_BIT) == 0U) {
+		}
+	}
 
 	/* Mark the connected core as awake */
 	gicr_write_waker(gicr_base, gicr_read_waker(gicr_base) & ~WAKER_PS_BIT);