diff --git a/drivers/serial/serial_mvebu_a3700.c b/drivers/serial/serial_mvebu_a3700.c
index 0fcd7e8..b2017c6 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/serial_mvebu_a3700.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/serial_mvebu_a3700.c
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 	struct mvebu_plat *plat = dev_get_plat(dev);
 	void __iomem *base = plat->base;
 
-	while (readl(base + UART_STATUS_REG) & UART_STATUS_TXFIFO_FULL)
-		;
+	if (readl(base + UART_STATUS_REG) & UART_STATUS_TXFIFO_FULL)
+		return -EAGAIN;
 
 	writel(ch, base + UART_TX_REG);
 
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@
 	struct mvebu_plat *plat = dev_get_plat(dev);
 	void __iomem *base = plat->base;
 
-	while (!(readl(base + UART_STATUS_REG) & UART_STATUS_RX_RDY))
-		;
+	if (!(readl(base + UART_STATUS_REG) & UART_STATUS_RX_RDY))
+		return -EAGAIN;
 
 	return readl(base + UART_RX_REG) & 0xff;
 }