diff --git a/drivers/ata/libahci.c b/drivers/ata/libahci.c
index 0cff1167c83c..956851f0d44f 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libahci.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libahci.c
@@ -1031,12 +1031,13 @@ static ssize_t ahci_led_show(struct ata_port *ap, char *buf)
 static ssize_t ahci_led_store(struct ata_port *ap, const char *buf,
 				size_t size)
 {
-	int state;
+	unsigned int state;
 	int pmp;
 	struct ahci_port_priv *pp = ap->private_data;
 	struct ahci_em_priv *emp;
 
-	state = simple_strtoul(buf, NULL, 0);
+	if (kstrtouint(buf, 0, &state) < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	/* get the slot number from the message */
 	pmp = (state & EM_MSG_LED_PMP_SLOT) >> 8;