diff --git a/target/riscv/pmp.c b/target/riscv/pmp.c
index dff9512c3f..2a76b611a0 100644
--- a/target/riscv/pmp.c
+++ b/target/riscv/pmp.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static bool pmp_write_cfg(CPURISCVState *env, uint32_t pmp_index, uint8_t val)
             /* If !mseccfg.MML then ignore writes with encoding RW=01 */
             if ((val & PMP_WRITE) && !(val & PMP_READ) &&
                 !MSECCFG_MML_ISSET(env)) {
-                val &= ~(PMP_WRITE | PMP_READ);
+                return false;
             }
             env->pmp_state.pmp[pmp_index].cfg_reg = val;
             pmp_update_rule_addr(env, pmp_index);