diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
index 00bb97d76000..2cbc09aad7f6 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ int get_warnings_count(void)
 	FILE *f;
 
 	f = popen("dmesg | grep \"WARNING:\" | wc -l", "r");
-	fscanf(f, "%d", &warnings);
+	if (fscanf(f, "%d", &warnings) < 1)
+		warnings = 0;
 	fclose(f);
 
 	return warnings;