diff --git a/drivers/media/tuners/xc4000.c b/drivers/media/tuners/xc4000.c
index e30948e4ff87..2113ce594f75 100644
--- a/drivers/media/tuners/xc4000.c
+++ b/drivers/media/tuners/xc4000.c
@@ -1036,7 +1036,10 @@ skip_std_specific:
 		dprintk(1, "load scode failed %d\n", rc);
 
 check_device:
-	rc = xc4000_readreg(priv, XREG_PRODUCT_ID, &hwmodel);
+	if (xc4000_readreg(priv, XREG_PRODUCT_ID, &hwmodel) < 0) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "Unable to read tuner registers.\n");
+		goto fail;
+	}
 
 	if (xc_get_version(priv, &hw_major, &hw_minor, &fw_major,
 			   &fw_minor) != 0) {