diff --git a/hw/i2c/aspeed_i2c.c b/hw/i2c/aspeed_i2c.c
index 83fb906bdc..765a98b698 100644
--- a/hw/i2c/aspeed_i2c.c
+++ b/hw/i2c/aspeed_i2c.c
@@ -272,7 +272,11 @@ static int aspeed_i2c_bus_send(AspeedI2CBus *bus)
         }
         while (bus->regs[reg_dma_len]) {
             uint8_t data;
-            aspeed_i2c_dma_read(bus, &data);
+            ret = aspeed_i2c_dma_read(bus, &data);
+            /* Check that we were able to read the DMA */
+            if (ret) {
+                break;
+            }
             trace_aspeed_i2c_bus_send("DMA", bus->regs[reg_dma_len],
                                       bus->regs[reg_dma_len], data);
             ret = i2c_send(bus->bus, data);