diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi-mem.c b/drivers/spi/spi-mem.c
index 7f4039e856..4f655b23de 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi-mem.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi-mem.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ int spi_mem_exec_op(struct spi_slave *slave, const struct spi_mem_op *op)
 		return -EIO;
 #else
 	u8 opcode = op->cmd.opcode;
+	slave->proto = op->cmd.buswidth;
 
 	flag = SPI_XFER_BEGIN;
 	if (!op->addr.nbytes && !op->dummy.nbytes && !op->data.nbytes)
@@ -378,6 +379,8 @@ int spi_mem_exec_op(struct spi_slave *slave, const struct spi_mem_op *op)
 		if (!op->data.nbytes)
 			flag |= SPI_XFER_END;
 
+		slave->proto = op->addr.buswidth;
+
 		ret = spi_xfer(slave, op_len * 8, op_buf, NULL, flag);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			dev_err(slave->dev, "failed to xfer addr + dummy\n");
@@ -392,6 +395,8 @@ int spi_mem_exec_op(struct spi_slave *slave, const struct spi_mem_op *op)
 		else
 			tx_buf = op->data.buf.out;
 
+		slave->proto = op->data.buswidth;
+
 		ret = spi_xfer(slave, op->data.nbytes * 8, tx_buf, rx_buf,
 			       SPI_XFER_END);
 		if (ret) {
diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi-uclass.c b/drivers/spi/spi-uclass.c
index 4a02d95a34..d602701566 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi-uclass.c
@@ -86,12 +86,19 @@ int dm_spi_xfer(struct udevice *dev, unsigned int bitlen,
 {
 	struct udevice *bus = dev->parent;
 	struct dm_spi_ops *ops = spi_get_ops(bus);
+	struct dm_spi_slave_platdata *plat = dev_get_parent_platdata(dev);
+	struct spi_slave *slave = dev_get_parent_priv(dev);
 
 	if (bus->uclass->uc_drv->id != UCLASS_SPI)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	if (!ops->xfer)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
+	if (!slave->proto)
+		plat->proto = SPI_PROTO_SINGLE;
+	else
+		plat->proto = slave->proto;
+
 	return ops->xfer(dev, bitlen, dout, din, flags);
 }
 
diff --git a/include/spi.h b/include/spi.h
index 2b4929fc79..e1a1ef5ee8 100644
--- a/include/spi.h
+++ b/include/spi.h
@@ -57,11 +57,14 @@ struct dm_spi_bus {
  * @cs:		Chip select number (0..n-1)
  * @max_hz:	Maximum bus speed that this slave can tolerate
  * @mode:	SPI mode to use for this device (see SPI mode flags)
+ * @proto:	Number of IO protocol lines used for writing or reading.
+ *		If 0 then the default SPI_PROTO_SINGLE is used.
  */
 struct dm_spi_slave_platdata {
 	unsigned int cs;
 	uint max_hz;
 	uint mode;
+	uint proto;
 };
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_DM_SPI */
@@ -116,6 +119,8 @@ enum spi_polarity {
  * @max_hz:		Maximum speed for this slave
  * @speed:		Current bus speed. This is 0 until the bus is first
  *			claimed.
+ * @proto:		Number of IO protocol lines used for writing or reading.
+ *			If 0 then the default SPI_PROTO_SINGLE is used.
  * @bus:		ID of the bus that the slave is attached to. For
  *			driver model this is the sequence number of the SPI
  *			bus (bus->seq) so does not need to be stored
@@ -134,6 +139,10 @@ struct spi_slave {
 	struct udevice *dev;	/* struct spi_slave is dev->parentdata */
 	uint max_hz;
 	uint speed;
+	uint proto;
+#define SPI_PROTO_QUAD		4 /* 4 lines I/O protocol transfer */
+#define SPI_PROTO_DUAL		2 /* 2 lines I/O protocol transfer */
+#define SPI_PROTO_SINGLE	1 /* 1 line I/O protocol transfer */
 #else
 	unsigned int bus;
 	unsigned int cs;