diff --git a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
index ed417a92a52..2c3d3ad559a 100644
--- a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
+++ b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
@@ -1141,6 +1141,10 @@ static int xhci_ctrl_start(FAR struct usbhost_xhci_s *priv)
   xhci_oper_putreg_8b(priv, XHCI_CRCR,
                       up_addrenv_va_to_pa(priv->cmd.ring) | XHCI_CRCR_RCS);
 
+  /* Do not sit on completions; see XHCI_IMOD_INTERVAL */
+
+  xhci_runt_putreg(priv, XHCI_IMOD(0), XHCI_IMOD_DEFAULT);
+
   /* Enable interrupts */
 
   regval = xhci_runt_getreg(priv, XHCI_IMAN(0));
diff --git a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.h b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.h
index 8f940f8a82c..2fc2aa207ad 100644
--- a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.h
+++ b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.h
@@ -315,6 +315,17 @@
 #define XHCI_IMOD_IMODI_SHIFT        (0)                   /* Bits 0-15: Interrupt Moderation Interval */
 #define XHCI_IMOD_IMODC_SHIFT        (16)                  /* Bits 16-31: Interrupt Moderation Counter */
 
+/* What to set the moderation interval to, in 250ns units.
+ *
+ * The reset default is 4000, a millisecond, which is far too long to wait
+ * to be told a transfer finished.  Zero is too short: it puts no bound on
+ * how often a controller may interrupt, and a polled device such as a
+ * keyboard on an interrupt endpoint will then occupy a processor.  160 is
+ * 40us, which is what Linux uses.
+ */
+
+#define XHCI_IMOD_DEFAULT            (160)
+
 /* Event Ring Segment Table Size */
 
 #define XHCI_ERSTS_MASK              (0xffff)              /* Bit 0-15: Event Ring Segment Table Size */