diff --git a/common/usb_pd_tcpc.c b/common/usb_pd_tcpc.c
index 272b44e652..eb0b47b3c5 100644
--- a/common/usb_pd_tcpc.c
+++ b/common/usb_pd_tcpc.c
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ enum pd_tx_errors {
 	PD_TX_ERR_COLLISION = -5 /* Collision detected during transmit */
 };
 
+#define TCPC_FLAGS_INITIALIZED (1 << 0) /* TCPC is initialized */
+
 static struct pd_port_controller {
 	/* current port power role (SOURCE or SINK) */
 	uint8_t power_role;
@@ -211,6 +213,8 @@ static struct pd_port_controller {
 	uint16_t alert_mask;
 	/* RX enabled */
 	uint8_t rx_enabled;
+	/* TCPC flags */
+	uint8_t flags;
 
 	/* Last received */
 	int rx_head;
@@ -811,7 +815,7 @@ void pd_task(void)
 	tcpc_init(port);
 
 	/* we are now initialized */
-	alert(port, TCPC_REG_ALERT_TCPC_INITED);
+	pd[port].flags |= TCPC_FLAGS_INITIALIZED;
 
 	while (1) {
 		/* wait for next event/packet or timeout expiration */
@@ -1005,6 +1009,10 @@ static int tcpc_i2c_read(int port, int reg, uint8_t *payload)
 	case TCPC_REG_VENDOR_ID:
 		*(uint16_t *)payload = USB_VID_GOOGLE;
 		return 2;
+	case TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS:
+		payload[0] = (pd[port].flags & TCPC_FLAGS_INITIALIZED) ?
+			       0 : TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS_UNINIT;
+		return 1;
 	case TCPC_REG_CC_STATUS:
 		tcpc_get_cc(port, &cc1, &cc2);
 		payload[0] = TCPC_REG_CC_STATUS_SET(
diff --git a/driver/tcpm/tcpci.c b/driver/tcpm/tcpci.c
index cd5c783db8..8353cb15d9 100644
--- a/driver/tcpm/tcpci.c
+++ b/driver/tcpm/tcpci.c
@@ -39,17 +39,17 @@ static int init_alert_mask(int port)
 
 int tcpm_init(int port)
 {
-	int rv, alert = 0;
+	int rv, err = 0;
 
 	while (1) {
 		rv = i2c_read16(I2C_PORT_TCPC, I2C_ADDR_TCPC(port),
-				TCPC_REG_ALERT, &alert);
+				TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS, &err);
 		/*
-		 * If i2c succeeds and VID is non-zero, then initialization
-		 * is complete
+		 * If i2c succeeds and the uninitialized bit is clear, then
+		 * initalization is complete, clear all alert bits and write
+		 * the initial alert mask.
 		 */
-		if (rv == EC_SUCCESS && (alert & TCPC_REG_ALERT_TCPC_INITED)) {
-			/* clear all alert bits */
+		if (rv == EC_SUCCESS && !(err & TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS_UNINIT)) {
 			i2c_write16(I2C_PORT_TCPC, I2C_ADDR_TCPC(port),
 					 TCPC_REG_ALERT, 0xff);
 			return init_alert_mask(port);
diff --git a/driver/tcpm/tcpci.h b/driver/tcpm/tcpci.h
index a4ee23bc0a..18f9a75e95 100644
--- a/driver/tcpm/tcpci.h
+++ b/driver/tcpm/tcpci.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define TCPC_REG_DEV_CAP_3         0xe
 #define TCPC_REG_DEV_CAP_4         0xf
 #define TCPC_REG_ALERT             0x10
-#define TCPC_REG_ALERT_TCPC_INITED  (1<<14)
 #define TCPC_REG_ALERT_INTRFACE_ERR (1<<11)
 #define TCPC_REG_ALERT_GPIO_CHANGE  (1<<10)
 #define TCPC_REG_ALERT_V_ALARM_LO   (1<<9)
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@
 
 #define TCPC_REG_POWER_STATUS      0x19
 #define TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS      0x1a
+#define TCPC_REG_ERROR_STATUS_UNINIT (1<<7)
 #define TCPC_REG_ROLE_CTRL         0x1b
 #define TCPC_REG_ROLE_CTRL_SET(drp, rp, cc1, cc2) \
 		((drp) << 6 | (rp) << 4 | (cc2) << 2 | (cc1))