diff --git a/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-pca.c b/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-pca.c
index e954a20b97a647e1b5766d345117cab121a42811..d50b329a3c94f079a78c6f2c85bff7b2271d2ae0 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-pca.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-pca.c
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ static int pca_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *i2c_adap,
 	}
 	if (state != 0xf8) {
 		dev_dbg(&i2c_adap->dev, "bus is not idle. status is %#04x\n", state);
-		return -EIO;
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
 	DEB1("{{{ XFER %d messages\n", num);