diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_sys.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_sys.c
index 0a69672097a8..4e83c297ec9e 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_sys.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_sys.c
@@ -953,7 +953,12 @@ void thermal_zone_device_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 
 	mutex_lock(&tz->lock);
 
-	tz->ops->get_temp(tz, &temp);
+	if (tz->ops->get_temp(tz, &temp)) {
+		/* get_temp failed - retry it later */
+		printk(KERN_WARNING PREFIX "failed to read out thermal zone "
+		       "%d\n", tz->id);
+		goto leave;
+	}
 
 	for (count = 0; count < tz->trips; count++) {
 		tz->ops->get_trip_type(tz, count, &trip_type);
@@ -1005,6 +1010,8 @@ void thermal_zone_device_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 					    THERMAL_TRIPS_NONE);
 
 	tz->last_temperature = temp;
+
+      leave:
 	if (tz->passive)
 		thermal_zone_device_set_polling(tz, tz->passive_delay);
 	else if (tz->polling_delay)