diff --git a/sound/soc/au1x/ac97c.c b/sound/soc/au1x/ac97c.c
index 29a97d52e8ad..66d6c52e7761 100644
--- a/sound/soc/au1x/ac97c.c
+++ b/sound/soc/au1x/ac97c.c
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ static unsigned short au1xac97c_ac97_read(struct snd_ac97 *ac97,
 	do {
 		mutex_lock(&ctx->lock);
 
-		tmo = 5;
-		while ((RD(ctx, AC97_STATUS) & STAT_CP) && tmo--)
+		tmo = 6;
+		while ((RD(ctx, AC97_STATUS) & STAT_CP) && --tmo)
 			udelay(21);	/* wait an ac97 frame time */
 		if (!tmo) {
 			pr_debug("ac97rd timeout #1\n");
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ static unsigned short au1xac97c_ac97_read(struct snd_ac97 *ac97,
 		 * poll, Forrest, poll...
 		 */
 		tmo = 0x10000;
-		while ((RD(ctx, AC97_STATUS) & STAT_CP) && tmo--)
+		while ((RD(ctx, AC97_STATUS) & STAT_CP) && --tmo)
 			asm volatile ("nop");
 		data = RD(ctx, AC97_CMDRESP);