diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
index 9da5b05cdb5..299b918455a 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-i801.c
@@ -416,9 +416,11 @@ static int i801_block_transaction(union i2c_smbus_data *data, char read_write,
 		data->block[0] = 32;	/* max for SMBus block reads */
 	}
 
+	/* Experience has shown that the block buffer can only be used for
+	   SMBus (not I2C) block transactions, even though the datasheet
+	   doesn't mention this limitation. */
 	if ((i801_features & FEATURE_BLOCK_BUFFER)
-	 && !(command == I2C_SMBUS_I2C_BLOCK_DATA
-	      && read_write == I2C_SMBUS_READ)
+	 && command != I2C_SMBUS_I2C_BLOCK_DATA
 	 && i801_set_block_buffer_mode() == 0)
 		result = i801_block_transaction_by_block(data, read_write,
 							 hwpec);