diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_sysfs.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_sysfs.c
index 9f2f25a6da37..b44abfc997ed 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_sysfs.c
@@ -536,11 +536,9 @@ cur_state_store(struct device *dev, struct device_attribute *attr,
 	unsigned long state;
 	int result;
 
-	if (sscanf(buf, "%ld\n", &state) != 1)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	if ((long)state < 0)
-		return -EINVAL;
+	result = kstrtoul(buf, 10, &state);
+	if (result < 0)
+		return result;
 
 	/* Requested state should be less than max_state + 1 */
 	if (state > cdev->max_state)