diff --git a/sound/pci/ice1712/ews.c b/sound/pci/ice1712/ews.c
index b8af747ecb43..7646c93e8268 100644
--- a/sound/pci/ice1712/ews.c
+++ b/sound/pci/ice1712/ews.c
@@ -826,7 +826,12 @@ static int snd_ice1712_6fire_read_pca(struct snd_ice1712 *ice, unsigned char reg
 
 	snd_i2c_lock(ice->i2c);
 	byte = reg;
-	snd_i2c_sendbytes(spec->i2cdevs[EWS_I2C_6FIRE], &byte, 1);
+	if (snd_i2c_sendbytes(spec->i2cdevs[EWS_I2C_6FIRE], &byte, 1)) {
+		snd_i2c_unlock(ice->i2c);
+		dev_err(ice->card->dev, "cannot send pca\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
 	byte = 0;
 	if (snd_i2c_readbytes(spec->i2cdevs[EWS_I2C_6FIRE], &byte, 1) != 1) {
 		snd_i2c_unlock(ice->i2c);