diff --git a/drivers/dma/stm32-dma.c b/drivers/dma/stm32-dma.c
index 12f3a3eddba9..047476a1383d 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/stm32-dma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/stm32-dma.c
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ static int stm32_dma_start_transfer(struct stm32_dma_chan *chan)
 	if (!chan->desc) {
 		vdesc = vchan_next_desc(&chan->vchan);
 		if (!vdesc)
-			return 0;
+			return -EPERM;
 
 		chan->desc = to_stm32_dma_desc(vdesc);
 		chan->next_sg = 0;
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ static void stm32_dma_issue_pending(struct dma_chan *c)
 	if (!chan->busy) {
 		if (vchan_issue_pending(&chan->vchan) && !chan->desc) {
 			ret = stm32_dma_start_transfer(chan);
-			if ((chan->desc->cyclic) && (!ret))
+			if ((!ret) && (chan->desc->cyclic))
 				stm32_dma_configure_next_sg(chan);
 		}
 	}