diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/pmbus/tps53679.c b/drivers/hwmon/pmbus/tps53679.c
index ca2bfa25eb04..3bca543817a6 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/pmbus/tps53679.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/pmbus/tps53679.c
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ static int tps53679_identify_chip(struct i2c_client *client,
 	}
 
 	ret = i2c_smbus_read_block_data(client, PMBUS_IC_DEVICE_ID, buf);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
+	if (ret <= 0)
+		return ret < 0 ? ret : -EIO;
 
-	/* Adjust length if null terminator if present */
+	/* Adjust length if null terminator is present */
 	buf_len = (buf[ret - 1] != '\x00' ? ret : ret - 1);
 
 	id_len = strlen(id);