diff --git a/src/lib/drivers/smbus/SMBus.cpp b/src/lib/drivers/smbus/SMBus.cpp
index 43bee5d577..a0b038cc3b 100644
--- a/src/lib/drivers/smbus/SMBus.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/drivers/smbus/SMBus.cpp
@@ -117,18 +117,22 @@ int SMBus::block_write(const uint8_t cmd_code, void *data, uint8_t byte_count, b
 	}
 
 	unsigned i = 0;
+	int result = 0;
 
 	// If block_write fails, try up to 10 times.
 	while (i < 10) {
-		int result = transfer((uint8_t *)buf, byte_count + 2, nullptr, 0);
+		result = transfer((uint8_t *)buf, byte_count + 2, nullptr, 0);
 
 		if (result != PX4_OK) {
 			i++;
 
 			if (i == 10) {
 				PX4_WARN("Block_write failed 10 times");
-				result = -ENODATA;
+				result = -EINVAL;
 			}
+
+		} else {
+			break;
 		}
 	}