diff --git a/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/serial_api.c b/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/serial_api.c
index 8b84f5fbfb..1a6d0be3cb 100644
--- a/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/serial_api.c
+++ b/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/serial_api.c
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ typedef struct {
 
 static uart_ctlblock_t uart_cb[UART_INSTANCE_COUNT];
 
+static void internal_set_hwfc(FlowControl type,
+                             PinName rxflow, PinName txflow);
+
 
 #if DEVICE_SERIAL_ASYNCH
 static void end_asynch_rx(void)
@@ -313,9 +316,10 @@ void serial_init(serial_t *obj, PinName tx, PinName rx) {
         nrf_uart_baudrate_set(UART_INSTANCE, UART_CB.baudrate);
         nrf_uart_configure(UART_INSTANCE, UART_CB.parity, UART_CB.hwfc);
         if (UART_CB.hwfc == NRF_UART_HWFC_ENABLED) {
-            serial_set_flow_control(obj, FlowControlRTSCTS,
+            internal_set_hwfc(FlowControlRTSCTS,
                 (PinName) UART_CB.pselrts, (PinName) UART_CB.pselcts);
         }
+        
         nrf_uart_enable(UART_INSTANCE);
 
         UART_CB.initialized = true;
@@ -524,15 +528,14 @@ void serial_break_clear(serial_t *obj)
     nrf_uart_task_trigger(UART_INSTANCE, NRF_UART_TASK_STARTTX);
 }
 
-void serial_set_flow_control(serial_t *obj, FlowControl type,
+
+static void internal_set_hwfc(FlowControl type,
                              PinName rxflow, PinName txflow)
 {
-    (void)obj;
-
     UART_CB.pselrts =
-        (rxflow == NC) ? NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED : (uint32_t)rxflow;
+        ((rxflow == NC) || (type == FlowControlCTS)) ? NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED : (uint32_t)rxflow;
     UART_CB.pselcts =
-        (txflow == NC) ? NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED : (uint32_t)txflow;
+        ((txflow == NC) || (type == FlowControlRTS)) ? NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED : (uint32_t)txflow;
 
     if (UART_CB.pselrts != NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED) {
         nrf_gpio_pin_set(UART_CB.pselrts);
@@ -541,11 +544,24 @@ void serial_set_flow_control(serial_t *obj, FlowControl type,
     if (UART_CB.pselcts != NRF_UART_PSEL_DISCONNECTED) {
         nrf_gpio_cfg_input(UART_CB.pselcts, NRF_GPIO_PIN_NOPULL);
     }
-    nrf_uart_disable(UART_INSTANCE);
+    
+    UART_CB.hwfc = (type == FlowControlNone)? NRF_UART_HWFC_DISABLED  : UART0_CONFIG_HWFC;
+    
+    nrf_uart_configure(UART_INSTANCE, UART_CB.parity, UART_CB.hwfc);
     nrf_uart_hwfc_pins_set(UART_INSTANCE, UART_CB.pselrts, UART_CB.pselcts);
+}
+
+void serial_set_flow_control(serial_t *obj, FlowControl type,
+                             PinName rxflow, PinName txflow)
+{
+    (void)obj;
+    
+    nrf_uart_disable(UART_INSTANCE);
+    internal_set_hwfc(type, rxflow, txflow);
     nrf_uart_enable(UART_INSTANCE);
 }
 
+
 void serial_clear(serial_t *obj) {
     (void)obj;
 }
diff --git a/targets/targets.json b/targets/targets.json
index 38be1eaa0c..77b413447a 100644
--- a/targets/targets.json
+++ b/targets/targets.json
@@ -2005,7 +2005,7 @@
     "NRF51_DK": {
         "supported_form_factors": ["ARDUINO"],
         "inherits": ["MCU_NRF51_32K_UNIFIED"],
-        "device_has": ["ANALOGIN", "ERROR_PATTERN", "I2C", "I2C_ASYNCH", "INTERRUPTIN", "LOWPOWERTIMER", "PORTIN", "PORTINOUT", "PORTOUT", "PWMOUT", "RTC", "SERIAL", "SERIAL_ASYNCH", "SLEEP", "SPI", "SPI_ASYNCH", "SPISLAVE"],
+        "device_has": ["ANALOGIN", "ERROR_PATTERN", "I2C", "I2C_ASYNCH", "INTERRUPTIN", "LOWPOWERTIMER", "PORTIN", "PORTINOUT", "PORTOUT", "PWMOUT", "RTC", "SERIAL", "SERIAL_ASYNCH", "SERIAL_FC", "SLEEP", "SPI", "SPI_ASYNCH", "SPISLAVE"],
         "release_versions": ["2", "5"],
         "device_name": "nRF51822_xxAA"
     },
@@ -2056,7 +2056,7 @@
         "supported_form_factors": ["ARDUINO"],
         "inherits": ["MCU_NRF52"],
         "macros_add": ["BOARD_PCA10040", "NRF52_PAN_12", "NRF52_PAN_15", "NRF52_PAN_58", "NRF52_PAN_55", "NRF52_PAN_54", "NRF52_PAN_31", "NRF52_PAN_30", "NRF52_PAN_51", "NRF52_PAN_36", "NRF52_PAN_53", "S132", "CONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET", "BLE_STACK_SUPPORT_REQD", "SWI_DISABLE0", "NRF52_PAN_20", "NRF52_PAN_64", "NRF52_PAN_62", "NRF52_PAN_63"],
-        "device_has": ["ANALOGIN", "ERROR_PATTERN", "I2C", "I2C_ASYNCH", "INTERRUPTIN", "LOWPOWERTIMER", "PORTIN", "PORTINOUT", "PORTOUT", "PWMOUT", "RTC", "SERIAL", "SERIAL_ASYNCH", "SLEEP", "SPI", "SPI_ASYNCH", "SPISLAVE"],
+        "device_has": ["ANALOGIN", "ERROR_PATTERN", "I2C", "I2C_ASYNCH", "INTERRUPTIN", "LOWPOWERTIMER", "PORTIN", "PORTINOUT", "PORTOUT", "PWMOUT", "RTC", "SERIAL", "SERIAL_ASYNCH", "SERIAL_FC", "SLEEP", "SPI", "SPI_ASYNCH", "SPISLAVE"],
         "release_versions": ["2", "5"],
         "device_name": "nRF52832_xxAA"
     },