diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3/os-area.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3/os-area.c
index cdbfc5cfd6f38ee85620288c14d2288808572e1e..f5387ad822798125402d76a530a6d7cc2c1733f5 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3/os-area.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3/os-area.c
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ static int update_flash_db(void)
 	db_set_64(db, &os_area_db_id_rtc_diff, saved_params.rtc_diff);
 
 	count = os_area_flash_write(db, sizeof(struct os_area_db), pos);
-	if (count < sizeof(struct os_area_db)) {
+	if (count < 0 || count < sizeof(struct os_area_db)) {
 		pr_debug("%s: os_area_flash_write failed %zd\n", __func__,
 			 count);
 		error = count < 0 ? count : -EIO;