diff --git a/drivers/staging/pi433/pi433_if.c b/drivers/staging/pi433/pi433_if.c
index 68c09fa016ed..051c9052aeeb 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/pi433/pi433_if.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/pi433/pi433_if.c
@@ -1115,8 +1115,8 @@ static int pi433_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 		"spi interface setup: mode 0x%2x, %d bits per word, %dhz max speed",
 		spi->mode, spi->bits_per_word, spi->max_speed_hz);
 
-	/* Ping the chip by reading the version register */
-	retval = spi_w8r8(spi, 0x10);
+	/* read chip version */
+	retval = rf69_get_version(spi);
 	if (retval < 0)
 		return retval;
 
diff --git a/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.c b/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.c
index d64df072d8e8..ee8c81d164e1 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.c
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ static inline int rf69_read_mod_write(struct spi_device *spi, u8 reg,
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+int rf69_get_version(struct spi_device *spi)
+{
+	return rf69_read_reg(spi, REG_VERSION);
+}
+
 int rf69_set_mode(struct spi_device *spi, enum mode mode)
 {
 	static const u8 mode_map[] = {
diff --git a/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.h b/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.h
index b648ba5fff89..c25942f142a6 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/pi433/rf69.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #define FIFO_SIZE	66		/* bytes */
 #define FIFO_THRESHOLD	15		/* bytes */
 
+int rf69_get_version(struct spi_device *spi);
 int rf69_set_mode(struct spi_device *spi, enum mode mode);
 int rf69_set_data_mode(struct spi_device *spi, u8 data_mode);
 int rf69_set_modulation(struct spi_device *spi, enum modulation modulation);