diff --git a/drivers/spi/atmel_spi.c b/drivers/spi/atmel_spi.c
index 1749a27be0669f71670ec38f0670e1bf537588f4..02c8e305b14fd783e3b94a71d3c8b4d9c4ed9c68 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/atmel_spi.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/atmel_spi.c
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ static int atmel_spi_transfer(struct spi_device *spi, struct spi_message *msg)
 		return -ESHUTDOWN;
 
 	list_for_each_entry(xfer, &msg->transfers, transfer_list) {
-		if (!(xfer->tx_buf || xfer->rx_buf)) {
+		if (!(xfer->tx_buf || xfer->rx_buf) && xfer->len) {
 			dev_dbg(&spi->dev, "missing rx or tx buf\n");
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}