spkalloc = snd_hda_codec_read(codec, nid, 0, ATI_VERB_GET_SPEAKER_ALLOCATION, 0);
 
-       if (!spkalloc) {
+       if (spkalloc <= 0) {
                snd_printd(KERN_INFO "HDMI ATI/AMD: no speaker allocation for ELD\n");
                return -EINVAL;
        }
                snd_hda_codec_write(codec, nid, 0, ATI_VERB_SET_AUDIO_DESCRIPTOR, i << 3);
                ati_sad = snd_hda_codec_read(codec, nid, 0, ATI_VERB_GET_AUDIO_DESCRIPTOR, 0);
 
+               if (ati_sad <= 0)
+                       continue;
+
                if (ati_sad & ATI_AUDIODESC_RATES) {
                        /* format is supported, copy SAD as-is */
                        buf[pos++] = (ati_sad & 0x0000ff) >> 0;
 
                pinctl = snd_hda_codec_read(codec, pin_nid, 0,
                                            AC_VERB_GET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL, 0);
 
+               if (pinctl < 0)
+                       return hbr ? -EINVAL : 0;
+
                new_pinctl = pinctl & ~AC_PINCTL_EPT;
                if (hbr)
                        new_pinctl |= AC_PINCTL_EPT_HBR;
        int hbr_ctl, hbr_ctl_new;
 
        hbr_ctl = snd_hda_codec_read(codec, pin_nid, 0, ATI_VERB_GET_HBR_CONTROL, 0);
-       if (hbr_ctl & ATI_HBR_CAPABLE) {
+       if (hbr_ctl >= 0 && (hbr_ctl & ATI_HBR_CAPABLE)) {
                if (hbr)
                        hbr_ctl_new = hbr_ctl | ATI_HBR_ENABLE;
                else