diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
index a6861660cb8ca771f38415c08561f0cbb232588b..79870dd7a0146ead83e325a6f2c6b6a8e41a8b4c 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
@@ -536,11 +536,12 @@ static int i801_block_transaction_by_block(struct i801_priv *priv,
 
 	if (read_write == I2C_SMBUS_READ ||
 	    command == I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_PROC_CALL) {
-		status = i801_get_block_len(priv);
-		if (status < 0)
+		len = i801_get_block_len(priv);
+		if (len < 0) {
+			status = len;
 			goto out;
+		}
 
-		len = status;
 		data->block[0] = len;
 		inb_p(SMBHSTCNT(priv));	/* reset the data buffer index */
 		for (i = 0; i < len; i++)