diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/adcxx.c b/drivers/hwmon/adcxx.c
index 5e9e095f1136..74d9c5195e44 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/adcxx.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/adcxx.c
@@ -62,18 +62,23 @@ static ssize_t adcxx_read(struct device *dev,
 	struct spi_device *spi = to_spi_device(dev);
 	struct sensor_device_attribute *attr = to_sensor_dev_attr(devattr);
 	struct adcxx *adc = dev_get_drvdata(&spi->dev);
-	u8 tx_buf[2] = { attr->index << 3 }; /* other bits are don't care */
+	u8 tx_buf[2];
 	u8 rx_buf[2];
 	int status;
-	int value;
+	u32 value;
 
 	if (mutex_lock_interruptible(&adc->lock))
 		return -ERESTARTSYS;
 
-	status = spi_write_then_read(spi, tx_buf, sizeof(tx_buf),
-					rx_buf, sizeof(rx_buf));
+	if (adc->channels == 1) {
+		status = spi_read(spi, rx_buf, sizeof(rx_buf));
+	} else {
+		tx_buf[0] = attr->index << 3; /* other bits are don't care */
+		status = spi_write_then_read(spi, tx_buf, sizeof(tx_buf),
+						rx_buf, sizeof(rx_buf));
+	}
 	if (status < 0) {
-		dev_warn(dev, "spi_write_then_read failed with status %d\n",
+		dev_warn(dev, "SPI synch. transfer failed with status %d\n",
 				status);
 		goto out;
 	}