diff --git a/components/driver/CMakeLists.txt b/components/driver/CMakeLists.txt
index 39bda8135b..0629f99c5c 100644
--- a/components/driver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/driver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@ set(srcs
 set(includes "include" "${target}/include" "deprecated")
 
 if(CONFIG_SOC_MCPWM_SUPPORTED)
-    list(APPEND srcs
-        "mcpwm.c")
+    list(APPEND srcs "mcpwm.c")
+endif()
+
+if(CONFIG_SOC_GDMA_SUPPORTED)
+    list(APPEND srcs "gdma.c")
 endif()
 
 if(${target} STREQUAL "esp32")
@@ -62,7 +65,6 @@ endif()
 if(${target} STREQUAL "esp32s3")
     list(APPEND srcs "adc_common.c"
                      "dedic_gpio.c"
-                     "gdma.c"
                      "sdmmc_host.c"
                      "sdmmc_transaction.c"
                      "rmt.c"
@@ -76,8 +78,7 @@ if(${target} STREQUAL "esp32s3")
 endif()
 
 if(IDF_TARGET STREQUAL "esp32c3")
-    list(APPEND srcs "gdma.c"
-                     "spi_slave_hd.c"
+    list(APPEND srcs "spi_slave_hd.c"
                      "adc_common.c"
                      "dedic_gpio.c"
                      "usb_serial_jtag.c"
@@ -91,8 +92,7 @@ if(IDF_TARGET STREQUAL "esp32c3")
 endif()
 
 if(IDF_TARGET STREQUAL "esp32h2")
-    list(APPEND srcs "gdma.c"
-                     "spi_slave_hd.c"
+    list(APPEND srcs "spi_slave_hd.c"
                      "adc_common.c"
                      "dedic_gpio.c"
                      "i2s.c"
diff --git a/components/driver/gdma.c b/components/driver/gdma.c
index eb30350cd9..4532d5527f 100644
--- a/components/driver/gdma.c
+++ b/components/driver/gdma.c
@@ -109,11 +109,9 @@ struct gdma_rx_channel_t {
 };
 
 static gdma_group_t *gdma_acquire_group_handle(int group_id);
-static void gdma_release_group_handle(gdma_group_t *group);
 static gdma_pair_t *gdma_acquire_pair_handle(gdma_group_t *group, int pair_id);
+static void gdma_release_group_handle(gdma_group_t *group);
 static void gdma_release_pair_handle(gdma_pair_t *pair);
-static void gdma_uninstall_group(gdma_group_t *group);
-static void gdma_uninstall_pair(gdma_pair_t *pair);
 static esp_err_t gdma_del_tx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel);
 static esp_err_t gdma_del_rx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel);
 static esp_err_t gdma_install_rx_interrupt(gdma_rx_channel_t *rx_chan);
@@ -161,27 +159,28 @@ esp_err_t gdma_new_channel(const gdma_channel_alloc_config_t *config, gdma_chann
 
     for (int i = 0; i < SOC_GDMA_GROUPS && search_code; i++) { // loop to search group
         group = gdma_acquire_group_handle(i);
-        for (int j = 0; j < SOC_GDMA_PAIRS_PER_GROUP && search_code && group; j++) { // loop to search pair
+        ESP_GOTO_ON_FALSE(group, ESP_ERR_NO_MEM, err, TAG, "no mem for group(%d)", i);
+        for (int j = 0; j < SOC_GDMA_PAIRS_PER_GROUP && search_code; j++) { // loop to search pair
             pair = gdma_acquire_pair_handle(group, j);
-            if (pair) {
-                portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-                if (!(search_code & pair->occupy_code)) { // pair has suitable position for acquired channel(s)
-                    pair->occupy_code |= search_code;
-                    search_code = 0; // exit search loop
-                }
-                portEXIT_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-                if (!search_code) {
-                    portENTER_CRITICAL(&group->spinlock);
-                    group->pair_ref_counts[j]++; // channel obtains a reference to pair
-                    portEXIT_CRITICAL(&group->spinlock);
-                }
+            ESP_GOTO_ON_FALSE(pair, ESP_ERR_NO_MEM, err, TAG, "no mem for pair(%d,%d)", i, j);
+            portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
+            if (!(search_code & pair->occupy_code)) { // pair has suitable position for acquired channel(s)
+                pair->occupy_code |= search_code;
+                search_code = 0; // exit search loop
+            }
+            portEXIT_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
+            if (search_code) {
+                gdma_release_pair_handle(pair);
+                pair = NULL;
             }
-            gdma_release_pair_handle(pair);
         } // loop used to search pair
-        gdma_release_group_handle(group);
+        if (search_code) {
+            gdma_release_group_handle(group);
+            group = NULL;
+        }
     } // loop used to search group
     ESP_GOTO_ON_FALSE(search_code == 0, ESP_ERR_NOT_FOUND, err, TAG, "no free gdma channel, search code=%d", search_code);
-
+    assert(pair && group); // pair and group handle shouldn't be NULL
 search_done:
     // register TX channel
     if (alloc_tx_channel) {
@@ -214,6 +213,12 @@ err:
     if (alloc_rx_channel) {
         free(alloc_rx_channel);
     }
+    if (pair) {
+        gdma_release_pair_handle(pair);
+    }
+    if (group) {
+        gdma_release_group_handle(group);
+    }
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -525,7 +530,7 @@ err:
     return ret;
 }
 
-static void gdma_uninstall_group(gdma_group_t *group)
+static void gdma_release_group_handle(gdma_group_t *group)
 {
     int group_id = group->group_id;
     bool do_deinitialize = false;
@@ -581,14 +586,7 @@ out:
     return group;
 }
 
-static void gdma_release_group_handle(gdma_group_t *group)
-{
-    if (group) {
-        gdma_uninstall_group(group);
-    }
-}
-
-static void gdma_uninstall_pair(gdma_pair_t *pair)
+static void gdma_release_pair_handle(gdma_pair_t *pair)
 {
     gdma_group_t *group = pair->group;
     int pair_id = pair->pair_id;
@@ -606,8 +604,7 @@ static void gdma_uninstall_pair(gdma_pair_t *pair)
     if (do_deinitialize) {
         free(pair);
         ESP_LOGD(TAG, "del pair (%d,%d)", group->group_id, pair_id);
-
-        gdma_uninstall_group(group);
+        gdma_release_group_handle(group);
     }
 }
 
@@ -646,17 +643,12 @@ out:
     return pair;
 }
 
-static void gdma_release_pair_handle(gdma_pair_t *pair)
-{
-    if (pair) {
-        gdma_uninstall_pair(pair);
-    }
-}
-
 static esp_err_t gdma_del_tx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel)
 {
     gdma_pair_t *pair = dma_channel->pair;
     gdma_group_t *group = pair->group;
+    int pair_id = pair->pair_id;
+    int group_id = group->group_id;
     gdma_tx_channel_t *tx_chan = __containerof(dma_channel, gdma_tx_channel_t, base);
     portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
     pair->tx_chan = NULL;
@@ -666,15 +658,16 @@ static esp_err_t gdma_del_tx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel)
     if (dma_channel->intr) {
         esp_intr_free(dma_channel->intr);
         portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-        gdma_ll_tx_enable_interrupt(group->hal.dev, pair->pair_id, UINT32_MAX, false); // disable all interupt events
-        gdma_ll_tx_clear_interrupt_status(group->hal.dev, pair->pair_id, UINT32_MAX);  // clear all pending events
+        gdma_ll_tx_enable_interrupt(group->hal.dev, pair_id, UINT32_MAX, false); // disable all interupt events
+        gdma_ll_tx_clear_interrupt_status(group->hal.dev, pair_id, UINT32_MAX);  // clear all pending events
         portEXIT_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "uninstall interrupt service for tx channel (%d,%d)", group->group_id, pair->pair_id);
+        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "uninstall interrupt service for tx channel (%d,%d)", group_id, pair_id);
     }
 
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "del tx channel (%d,%d)", group->group_id, pair->pair_id);
     free(tx_chan);
-    gdma_uninstall_pair(pair);
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "del tx channel (%d,%d)", group_id, pair_id);
+    // channel has a reference on pair, release it now
+    gdma_release_pair_handle(pair);
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
@@ -682,6 +675,8 @@ static esp_err_t gdma_del_rx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel)
 {
     gdma_pair_t *pair = dma_channel->pair;
     gdma_group_t *group = pair->group;
+    int pair_id = pair->pair_id;
+    int group_id = group->group_id;
     gdma_rx_channel_t *rx_chan = __containerof(dma_channel, gdma_rx_channel_t, base);
     portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
     pair->rx_chan = NULL;
@@ -691,15 +686,15 @@ static esp_err_t gdma_del_rx_channel(gdma_channel_t *dma_channel)
     if (dma_channel->intr) {
         esp_intr_free(dma_channel->intr);
         portENTER_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-        gdma_ll_rx_enable_interrupt(group->hal.dev, pair->pair_id, UINT32_MAX, false); // disable all interupt events
-        gdma_ll_rx_clear_interrupt_status(group->hal.dev, pair->pair_id, UINT32_MAX);  // clear all pending events
+        gdma_ll_rx_enable_interrupt(group->hal.dev, pair_id, UINT32_MAX, false); // disable all interupt events
+        gdma_ll_rx_clear_interrupt_status(group->hal.dev, pair_id, UINT32_MAX);  // clear all pending events
         portEXIT_CRITICAL(&pair->spinlock);
-        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "uninstall interrupt service for rx channel (%d,%d)", group->group_id, pair->pair_id);
+        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "uninstall interrupt service for rx channel (%d,%d)", group_id, pair_id);
     }
 
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "del rx channel (%d,%d)", group->group_id, pair->pair_id);
     free(rx_chan);
-    gdma_uninstall_pair(pair);
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "del rx channel (%d,%d)", group_id, pair_id);
+    gdma_release_pair_handle(pair);
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/Kconfig.soc_caps.in b/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/Kconfig.soc_caps.in
index 7d649da742..79f24ff50c 100644
--- a/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/Kconfig.soc_caps.in
+++ b/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/Kconfig.soc_caps.in
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ config SOC_GDMA_GROUPS
 
 config SOC_GDMA_PAIRS_PER_GROUP
     int
-    default 3
+    default 1
 
 config SOC_GDMA_TX_RX_SHARE_INTERRUPT
     bool
diff --git a/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/soc_caps.h b/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/soc_caps.h
index 4e433b22e9..c797ec5fc2 100644
--- a/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/soc_caps.h
+++ b/components/soc/esp8684/include/soc/soc_caps.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 
 /*-------------------------- GDMA CAPS -------------------------------------*/
 #define SOC_GDMA_GROUPS                 (1U) // Number of GDMA groups
-#define SOC_GDMA_PAIRS_PER_GROUP        (3)  // Number of GDMA pairs in each group
+#define SOC_GDMA_PAIRS_PER_GROUP        (1U) // Number of GDMA pairs in each group
 #define SOC_GDMA_TX_RX_SHARE_INTERRUPT  (1)  // TX and RX channel in the same pair will share the same interrupt source number
 
 /*-------------------------- GPIO CAPS ---------------------------------------*/