diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/subdev/therm/nv40.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/subdev/therm/nv40.c
index c526d536409faa957b9d7b7f7eed9cf9124d71b4..a70d1b7e397b4b3ffe280b1f0ad6152679f6f15b 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/subdev/therm/nv40.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/subdev/therm/nv40.c
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ nv40_temp_get(struct nouveau_therm *therm)
 	core_temp = core_temp + sensor->offset_num / sensor->offset_den;
 	core_temp = core_temp + sensor->offset_constant - 8;
 
+	/* reserve negative temperatures for errors */
+	if (core_temp < 0)
+		core_temp = 0;
+
 	return core_temp;
 }