diff --git a/msm/dsi/dsi_display.c b/msm/dsi/dsi_display.c
index b932ae11b92b..c218b0b2c1b2 100644
--- a/msm/dsi/dsi_display.c
+++ b/msm/dsi/dsi_display.c
@@ -3219,10 +3219,11 @@ static ssize_t dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 			cmd_flags |= DSI_CTRL_CMD_ASYNC_WAIT;
 
 		if (msg->rx_buf)
-			flags |= DSI_CTRL_CMD_READ;
+			cmd_flags |= DSI_CTRL_CMD_READ;
 		rc = dsi_ctrl_cmd_transfer(display->ctrl[ctrl_idx].ctrl, msg,
 				&cmd_flags);
-		if (rc) {
+		if (((cmd_flags & DSI_CTRL_CMD_READ) && rc <= 0) ||
+				(!(cmd_flags & DSI_CTRL_CMD_READ) && rc)) {
 			DSI_ERR("[%s] cmd transfer failed, rc=%d\n",
 			       display->name, rc);
 			goto error_disable_cmd_engine;