diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/r8152.c b/drivers/net/usb/r8152.c
index 66beff4d7646..455eec3c4694 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/r8152.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/r8152.c
@@ -787,8 +787,11 @@ int get_registers(struct r8152 *tp, u16 value, u16 index, u16 size, void *data)
 	ret = usb_control_msg(tp->udev, usb_rcvctrlpipe(tp->udev, 0),
 			      RTL8152_REQ_GET_REGS, RTL8152_REQT_READ,
 			      value, index, tmp, size, 500);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		memset(data, 0xff, size);
+	else
+		memcpy(data, tmp, size);
 
-	memcpy(data, tmp, size);
 	kfree(tmp);
 
 	return ret;