diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master/dw-i3c-master.c b/drivers/i3c/master/dw-i3c-master.c
index 03a368da51b9..51a8608203de 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master/dw-i3c-master.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master/dw-i3c-master.c
@@ -793,6 +793,10 @@ static int dw_i3c_master_daa(struct i3c_master_controller *m)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	pos = dw_i3c_master_get_free_pos(master);
+	if (pos < 0) {
+		dw_i3c_master_free_xfer(xfer);
+		return pos;
+	}
 	cmd = &xfer->cmds[0];
 	cmd->cmd_hi = 0x1;
 	cmd->cmd_lo = COMMAND_PORT_DEV_COUNT(master->maxdevs - pos) |