diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
index 6e25c010e690..6f19a33773fe 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
@@ -656,8 +656,7 @@ i2c_dw_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg msgs[], int num)
 	i2c_dw_xfer_init(dev);
 
 	/* wait for tx to complete */
-	ret = wait_for_completion_timeout(&dev->cmd_complete, HZ);
-	if (ret == 0) {
+	if (!wait_for_completion_timeout(&dev->cmd_complete, HZ)) {
 		dev_err(dev->dev, "controller timed out\n");
 		/* i2c_dw_init implicitly disables the adapter */
 		i2c_dw_init(dev);