diff --git a/drivers/nfc/nxp-nci/i2c.c b/drivers/nfc/nxp-nci/i2c.c
index e8f3b35afbee..ae2ba08d8ac3 100644
--- a/drivers/nfc/nxp-nci/i2c.c
+++ b/drivers/nfc/nxp-nci/i2c.c
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ static int nxp_nci_i2c_fw_read(struct nxp_nci_i2c_phy *phy,
 	skb_put_data(*skb, &header, NXP_NCI_FW_HDR_LEN);
 
 	r = i2c_master_recv(client, skb_put(*skb, frame_len), frame_len);
-	if (r != frame_len) {
+	if (r < 0) {
+		goto fw_read_exit_free_skb;
+	} else if (r != frame_len) {
 		nfc_err(&client->dev,
 			"Invalid frame length: %u (expected %zu)\n",
 			r, frame_len);
@@ -166,7 +168,9 @@ static int nxp_nci_i2c_nci_read(struct nxp_nci_i2c_phy *phy,
 		return 0;
 
 	r = i2c_master_recv(client, skb_put(*skb, header.plen), header.plen);
-	if (r != header.plen) {
+	if (r < 0) {
+		goto nci_read_exit_free_skb;
+	} else if (r != header.plen) {
 		nfc_err(&client->dev,
 			"Invalid frame payload length: %u (expected %u)\n",
 			r, header.plen);