diff --git a/sys/dev/i2c/cx24227.c b/sys/dev/i2c/cx24227.c
index 74e752cdc737..dffaa60cae5c 100644
--- a/sys/dev/i2c/cx24227.c
+++ b/sys/dev/i2c/cx24227.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: cx24227.c,v 1.5 2011/10/02 19:03:56 jmcneill Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: cx24227.c,v 1.6 2012/03/15 16:20:36 bouyer Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008, 2011 Jonathan A. Kollasch
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
-__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: cx24227.c,v 1.5 2011/10/02 19:03:56 jmcneill Exp $");
+__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: cx24227.c,v 1.6 2012/03/15 16:20:36 bouyer Exp $");
 
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/systm.h>
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ cx24227_readreg(struct cx24227 *sc, uint8_t reg, uint16_t *data)
 	int error;
 	uint8_t r[2];
 
+	*data = 0x0000;
+
 	if (iic_acquire_bus(sc->tag, I2C_F_POLL) != 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	*data = 0x0000;
-
 	error = iic_exec(sc->tag, I2C_OP_READ_WITH_STOP, sc->addr,
 			 &reg, 1, r, 2, I2C_F_POLL);