diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi.c b/drivers/spi/spi.c
index a2c467d9e92f..2cea7aeb10f9 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi.c
@@ -1242,6 +1242,7 @@ static int __spi_map_msg(struct spi_controller *ctlr, struct spi_message *msg)
 	else
 		rx_dev = ctlr->dev.parent;
 
+	ret = -ENOMSG;
 	list_for_each_entry(xfer, &msg->transfers, transfer_list) {
 		/* The sync is done before each transfer. */
 		unsigned long attrs = DMA_ATTR_SKIP_CPU_SYNC;
@@ -1271,6 +1272,9 @@ static int __spi_map_msg(struct spi_controller *ctlr, struct spi_message *msg)
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	/* No transfer has been mapped, bail out with success */
+	if (ret)
+		return 0;
 
 	ctlr->cur_rx_dma_dev = rx_dev;
 	ctlr->cur_tx_dma_dev = tx_dev;