diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda.c b/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda.c
index 35cbef171f4a..038d09f6203a 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda.c
@@ -1040,12 +1040,22 @@ static int hda_generic_machine_select(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev)
 			pdata->machine = hda_mach;
 			pdata->tplg_filename = tplg_filename;
 
-			if (codec_num == 2) {
+			if (codec_num == 2 ||
+			    (codec_num == 1 && !HDA_IDISP_CODEC(bus->codec_mask))) {
 				/*
 				 * Prevent SoundWire links from starting when an external
 				 * HDaudio codec is used
 				 */
 				hda_mach->mach_params.link_mask = 0;
+			} else {
+				/*
+				 * Allow SoundWire links to start when no external HDaudio codec
+				 * was detected. This will not create a SoundWire card but
+				 * will help detect if any SoundWire codec reports as ATTACHED.
+				 */
+				struct sof_intel_hda_dev *hdev = sdev->pdata->hw_pdata;
+
+				hda_mach->mach_params.link_mask = hdev->info.link_mask;
 			}
 		}
 	}