diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/ibmaem.c b/drivers/hwmon/ibmaem.c
index 1a409c5bc9bc..c316294c48b4 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/ibmaem.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/ibmaem.c
@@ -432,13 +432,15 @@ static int aem_read_sensor(struct aem_data *data, u8 elt, u8 reg,
 	aem_send_message(ipmi);
 
 	res = wait_for_completion_timeout(&ipmi->read_complete, IPMI_TIMEOUT);
-	if (!res)
-		return -ETIMEDOUT;
+	if (!res) {
+		res = -ETIMEDOUT;
+		goto out;
+	}
 
 	if (ipmi->rx_result || ipmi->rx_msg_len != rs_size ||
 	    memcmp(&rs_resp->id, &system_x_id, sizeof(system_x_id))) {
-		kfree(rs_resp);
-		return -ENOENT;
+		res = -ENOENT;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	switch (size) {
@@ -463,8 +465,11 @@ static int aem_read_sensor(struct aem_data *data, u8 elt, u8 reg,
 		break;
 	}
 	}
+	res = 0;
 
-	return 0;
+out:
+	kfree(rs_resp);
+	return res;
 }
 
 /* Update AEM energy registers */