diff --git a/drivers/input/button_upper.c b/drivers/input/button_upper.c
index 130443f39e..9ad42e5189 100644
--- a/drivers/input/button_upper.c
+++ b/drivers/input/button_upper.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ struct btn_upperhalf_s
   FAR const struct btn_lowerhalf_s *bu_lower;
 
   btn_buttonset_t bu_sample;  /* Last sampled button states */
+  bool bu_enabled;
 
   /* The following is a singly linked list of open references to the
    * button device.
@@ -190,6 +191,16 @@ static void btn_enable(FAR struct btn_upperhalf_s *priv)
   DEBUGASSERT(lower->bl_enable);
   if (press != 0 || release != 0)
     {
+      /* Update last sampled button states when enabling interrupts for
+       * the first time.
+       */
+
+      if (!priv->bu_enabled)
+        {
+          priv->bu_enabled = true;
+          priv->bu_sample = lower->bl_buttons(lower);
+        }
+
       /* Enable interrupts with the new button set */
 
       lower->bl_enable(lower, press, release,
@@ -197,6 +208,8 @@ static void btn_enable(FAR struct btn_upperhalf_s *priv)
     }
   else
     {
+      priv->bu_enabled = false;
+
       /* Disable further interrupts */
 
       lower->bl_enable(lower, 0, 0, NULL, NULL);
@@ -332,6 +345,7 @@ static int btn_open(FAR struct file *filep)
   supported = lower->bl_supported(lower);
   opriv->bo_pollevents.bp_press   = supported;
   opriv->bo_pollevents.bp_release = supported;
+  opriv->bo_pending = true;
 
   /* Attach the open structure to the device */
 
@@ -780,9 +794,6 @@ int btn_register(FAR const char *devname,
 
   priv->bu_lower = lower;
 
-  DEBUGASSERT(lower->bl_buttons);
-  priv->bu_sample = lower->bl_buttons(lower);
-
   /* And register the button driver */
 
   ret = register_driver(devname, &g_btn_fops, 0666, priv);