diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c b/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
index 18f1154f5566..1f534b933358 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
@@ -959,13 +959,13 @@ static int renesas_i3c_i2c_xfers(struct i2c_dev_desc *dev,
 	u8 start_bit = CNDCTL_STCND;
 	int i;
 
+	if (!i2c_nxfers)
+		return 0;
+
 	struct renesas_i3c_xfer *xfer __free(kfree) = renesas_i3c_alloc_xfer(i3c, 1);
 	if (!xfer)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	if (!i2c_nxfers)
-		return 0;
-
 	renesas_i3c_bus_enable(m, false);
 
 	init_completion(&xfer->comp);