diff --git a/drivers/regulator/lp3971.c b/drivers/regulator/lp3971.c
index 15c25c622edf..204b5c5270e0 100644
--- a/drivers/regulator/lp3971.c
+++ b/drivers/regulator/lp3971.c
@@ -365,8 +365,8 @@ static int lp3971_set_bits(struct lp3971 *lp3971, u8 reg, u16 mask, u16 val)
 	mutex_lock(&lp3971->io_lock);
 
 	ret = lp3971_i2c_read(lp3971->i2c, reg, 1, &tmp);
-	tmp = (tmp & ~mask) | val;
 	if (ret == 0) {
+		tmp = (tmp & ~mask) | val;
 		ret = lp3971_i2c_write(lp3971->i2c, reg, 1, &tmp);
 		dev_dbg(lp3971->dev, "reg write 0x%02x -> 0x%02x\n", (int)reg,
 			(unsigned)val&0xff);