diff --git a/drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb-v2/af9035.c b/drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb-v2/af9035.c
index 666d319d3d1a..1f6c1eefe389 100644
--- a/drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb-v2/af9035.c
+++ b/drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb-v2/af9035.c
@@ -402,8 +402,10 @@ static int af9035_i2c_master_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap,
 			if (msg[0].addr == state->af9033_i2c_addr[1])
 				reg |= 0x100000;
 
-			ret = af9035_wr_regs(d, reg, &msg[0].buf[3],
-					msg[0].len - 3);
+			ret = (msg[0].len >= 3) ? af9035_wr_regs(d, reg,
+							         &msg[0].buf[3],
+							         msg[0].len - 3)
+					        : -EOPNOTSUPP;
 		} else {
 			/* I2C write */
 			u8 buf[MAX_XFER_SIZE];