diff --git a/drivers/thunderbolt/icm.c b/drivers/thunderbolt/icm.c
index 78480b782045..13e88109742e 100644
--- a/drivers/thunderbolt/icm.c
+++ b/drivers/thunderbolt/icm.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include <linux/delay.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
+#include <linux/moduleparam.h>
 #include <linux/pci.h>
 #include <linux/pm_runtime.h>
 #include <linux/platform_data/x86/apple.h>
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@
 #define ICM_APPROVE_TIMEOUT		10000	/* ms */
 #define ICM_MAX_LINK			4
 
+static bool start_icm;
+module_param(start_icm, bool, 0444);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(start_icm, "start ICM firmware if it is not running (default: false)");
+
 /**
  * struct icm - Internal connection manager private data
  * @request_lock: Makes sure only one message is send to ICM at time
@@ -350,6 +355,14 @@ static void icm_veto_end(struct tb *tb)
 	}
 }
 
+static bool icm_firmware_running(const struct tb_nhi *nhi)
+{
+	u32 val;
+
+	val = ioread32(nhi->iobase + REG_FW_STS);
+	return !!(val & REG_FW_STS_ICM_EN);
+}
+
 static bool icm_fr_is_supported(struct tb *tb)
 {
 	return !x86_apple_machine;
@@ -1381,9 +1394,12 @@ static bool icm_ar_is_supported(struct tb *tb)
 	/*
 	 * Starting from Alpine Ridge we can use ICM on Apple machines
 	 * as well. We just need to reset and re-enable it first.
+	 * However, only start it if explicitly asked by the user.
 	 */
-	if (!x86_apple_machine)
+	if (icm_firmware_running(tb->nhi))
 		return true;
+	if (!start_icm)
+		return false;
 
 	/*
 	 * Find the upstream PCIe port in case we need to do reset
@@ -1736,8 +1752,7 @@ static int icm_firmware_start(struct tb *tb, struct tb_nhi *nhi)
 	u32 val;
 
 	/* Check if the ICM firmware is already running */
-	val = ioread32(nhi->iobase + REG_FW_STS);
-	if (val & REG_FW_STS_ICM_EN)
+	if (icm_firmware_running(nhi))
 		return 0;
 
 	dev_dbg(&nhi->pdev->dev, "starting ICM firmware\n");
@@ -2244,7 +2259,7 @@ struct tb *icm_probe(struct tb_nhi *nhi)
 
 	case PCI_DEVICE_ID_INTEL_ICL_NHI0:
 	case PCI_DEVICE_ID_INTEL_ICL_NHI1:
-		icm->is_supported = icm_ar_is_supported;
+		icm->is_supported = icm_fr_is_supported;
 		icm->driver_ready = icm_icl_driver_ready;
 		icm->set_uuid = icm_icl_set_uuid;
 		icm->device_connected = icm_icl_device_connected;
diff --git a/drivers/thunderbolt/tb.c b/drivers/thunderbolt/tb.c
index bb763a5cf103..ea8727f769d6 100644
--- a/drivers/thunderbolt/tb.c
+++ b/drivers/thunderbolt/tb.c
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/delay.h>
-#include <linux/platform_data/x86/apple.h>
 
 #include "tb.h"
 #include "tb_regs.h"
@@ -990,9 +989,6 @@ struct tb *tb_probe(struct tb_nhi *nhi)
 	struct tb_cm *tcm;
 	struct tb *tb;
 
-	if (!x86_apple_machine)
-		return NULL;
-
 	tb = tb_domain_alloc(nhi, sizeof(*tcm));
 	if (!tb)
 		return NULL;