diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-pasemi.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-pasemi.c
index 79c72dfa63b7..ca18e0be4901 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-pasemi.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-pasemi.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ struct pasemi_smbus {
 #define MRXFIFO_DATA_M	0x000000ff
 
 #define SMSTA_XEN	0x08000000
+#define SMSTA_MTN	0x00200000
 
 #define CTL_MRR		0x00000400
 #define CTL_MTR		0x00000200
@@ -98,6 +99,10 @@ static unsigned int pasemi_smb_waitready(struct pasemi_smbus *smbus)
 		status = reg_read(smbus, REG_SMSTA);
 	}
 
+	/* Got NACK? */
+	if (status & SMSTA_MTN)
+		return -ENXIO;
+
 	if (timeout < 0) {
 		dev_warn(&smbus->dev->dev, "Timeout, status 0x%08x\n", status);
 		reg_write(smbus, REG_SMSTA, status);