diff --git a/include/linux/serdev.h b/include/linux/serdev.h
index e69402d4a8ae..d609e6dc5bad 100644
--- a/include/linux/serdev.h
+++ b/include/linux/serdev.h
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ static inline int serdev_controller_receive_buf(struct serdev_controller *ctrl,
 	struct serdev_device *serdev = ctrl->serdev;
 
 	if (!serdev || !serdev->ops->receive_buf)
-		return -EINVAL;
+		return 0;
 
 	return serdev->ops->receive_buf(serdev, data, count);
 }