diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi.c b/drivers/spi/spi.c
index 643908b74bc0..8eba98c8ed1e 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi.c
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ int spi_write_then_read(struct spi_device *spi,
 
 	int			status;
 	struct spi_message	message;
-	struct spi_transfer	x;
+	struct spi_transfer	x[2];
 	u8			*local_buf;
 
 	/* Use preallocated DMA-safe buffer.  We can't avoid copying here,
@@ -669,9 +669,15 @@ int spi_write_then_read(struct spi_device *spi,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	spi_message_init(&message);
-	memset(&x, 0, sizeof x);
-	x.len = n_tx + n_rx;
-	spi_message_add_tail(&x, &message);
+	memset(x, 0, sizeof x);
+	if (n_tx) {
+		x[0].len = n_tx;
+		spi_message_add_tail(&x[0], &message);
+	}
+	if (n_rx) {
+		x[1].len = n_rx;
+		spi_message_add_tail(&x[1], &message);
+	}
 
 	/* ... unless someone else is using the pre-allocated buffer */
 	if (!mutex_trylock(&lock)) {
@@ -682,15 +688,15 @@ int spi_write_then_read(struct spi_device *spi,
 		local_buf = buf;
 
 	memcpy(local_buf, txbuf, n_tx);
-	x.tx_buf = local_buf;
-	x.rx_buf = local_buf;
+	x[0].tx_buf = local_buf;
+	x[1].rx_buf = local_buf + n_tx;
 
 	/* do the i/o */
 	status = spi_sync(spi, &message);
 	if (status == 0)
-		memcpy(rxbuf, x.rx_buf + n_tx, n_rx);
+		memcpy(rxbuf, x[1].rx_buf, n_rx);
 
-	if (x.tx_buf == buf)
+	if (x[0].tx_buf == buf)
 		mutex_unlock(&lock);
 	else
 		kfree(local_buf);