diff --git a/drivers/misc/habanalabs/debugfs.c b/drivers/misc/habanalabs/debugfs.c
index a6d9d809385e91c254869a7a27153744548bbdcc..f472b572faea53bf7f2a968ae6f4a65be7738846 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/habanalabs/debugfs.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/habanalabs/debugfs.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static int hl_debugfs_i2c_read(struct hl_device *hdev, u8 i2c_bus, u8 i2c_addr,
 	int rc;
 
 	if (hl_device_disabled_or_in_reset(hdev))
-		return 0;
+		return -EBUSY;
 
 	memset(&pkt, 0, sizeof(pkt));
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static int hl_debugfs_i2c_write(struct hl_device *hdev, u8 i2c_bus, u8 i2c_addr,
 	int rc;
 
 	if (hl_device_disabled_or_in_reset(hdev))
-		return 0;
+		return -EBUSY;
 
 	memset(&pkt, 0, sizeof(pkt));