diff --git a/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750_hw.c b/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750_hw.c
index 79e6344a729f..beef05ded98d 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750_hw.c
@@ -501,8 +501,8 @@ int hw_sm750le_de_wait(void)
 		    (DE_STATE2_DE_FIFO_EMPTY | DE_STATE2_DE_MEM_FIFO_EMPTY))
 			return 0;
 	}
-	/* timeout error */
-	return -1;
+
+	return -ETIMEDOUT;
 }
 
 int hw_sm750_de_wait(void)
@@ -519,8 +519,8 @@ int hw_sm750_de_wait(void)
 		    (SYSTEM_CTRL_DE_FIFO_EMPTY | SYSTEM_CTRL_DE_MEM_FIFO_EMPTY))
 			return 0;
 	}
-	/* timeout error */
-	return -1;
+
+	return -ETIMEDOUT;
 }
 
 int hw_sm750_pan_display(struct lynxfb_crtc *crtc,