diff --git a/drivers/iio/kfifo_buf.c b/drivers/iio/kfifo_buf.c
index 847ca56..55c267b 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/kfifo_buf.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/kfifo_buf.c
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@
 		kfifo_free(&buf->kf);
 		ret = __iio_allocate_kfifo(buf, buf->buffer.bytes_per_datum,
 				   buf->buffer.length);
-		buf->update_needed = false;
+		if (ret >= 0)
+			buf->update_needed = false;
 	} else {
 		kfifo_reset_out(&buf->kf);
 	}