diff --git a/drivers/s390/cio/chp.c b/drivers/s390/cio/chp.c
index 50597f9522fe..d3b72eab2b8f 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/cio/chp.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/cio/chp.c
@@ -428,11 +428,14 @@ int chp_update_desc(struct channel_path *chp)
 	if (rc)
 		return rc;
 
-	rc = chsc_determine_fmt1_channel_path_desc(chp->chpid, &chp->desc_fmt1);
-	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+	/*
+	 * Fetching the following data is optional. Not all machines or
+	 * hypervisors implement the required chsc commands.
+	 */
+	chsc_determine_fmt1_channel_path_desc(chp->chpid, &chp->desc_fmt1);
+	chsc_get_channel_measurement_chars(chp);
 
-	return chsc_get_channel_measurement_chars(chp);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/s390/cio/chsc.c b/drivers/s390/cio/chsc.c
index 452193f7298c..39bb2ea7b78f 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/cio/chsc.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/cio/chsc.c
@@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ int chsc_get_channel_measurement_chars(struct channel_path *chp)
 	chp->cmg = -1;
 
 	if (!css_chsc_characteristics.scmc || !css_chsc_characteristics.secm)
-		return 0;
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&chsc_page_lock);
 	memset(chsc_page, 0, PAGE_SIZE);