diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c b/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
index 8468b300193be1e9ae8d1a018e83182933c69972..9bac79edbc2cefd7d0acb7af369f1e44f45639fd 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
@@ -658,10 +658,10 @@ static u8 *it821x_firmware_command(struct ata_port *ap, u8 cmd, int len)
 	u8 status;
 	int n = 0;
 	u16 *buf = kmalloc(len, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (buf == NULL) {
-		printk(KERN_ERR "it821x_firmware_command: Out of memory\n");
+
+	if (!buf)
 		return NULL;
-	}
+
 	/* This isn't quite a normal ATA command as we are talking to the
 	   firmware not the drives */
 	ap->ctl |= ATA_NIEN;