diff --git a/arch/alpha/kernel/rtc.c b/arch/alpha/kernel/rtc.c
index ce3077946e1d94..fb3025396ac964 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/kernel/rtc.c
+++ b/arch/alpha/kernel/rtc.c
@@ -80,7 +80,12 @@ init_rtc_epoch(void)
 static int
 alpha_rtc_read_time(struct device *dev, struct rtc_time *tm)
 {
-	mc146818_get_time(tm);
+	int ret = mc146818_get_time(tm);
+
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		dev_err_ratelimited(dev, "unable to read current time\n");
+		return ret;
+	}
 
 	/* Adjust for non-default epochs.  It's easier to depend on the
 	   generic __get_rtc_time and adjust the epoch here than create
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
index 882213df371302..71f336425e58a1 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
@@ -1435,8 +1435,12 @@ irqreturn_t hpet_rtc_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_id)
 	hpet_rtc_timer_reinit();
 	memset(&curr_time, 0, sizeof(struct rtc_time));
 
-	if (hpet_rtc_flags & (RTC_UIE | RTC_AIE))
-		mc146818_get_time(&curr_time);
+	if (hpet_rtc_flags & (RTC_UIE | RTC_AIE)) {
+		if (unlikely(mc146818_get_time(&curr_time) < 0)) {
+			pr_err_ratelimited("unable to read current time from RTC\n");
+			return IRQ_HANDLED;
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (hpet_rtc_flags & RTC_UIE &&
 	    curr_time.tm_sec != hpet_prev_update_sec) {
diff --git a/drivers/base/power/trace.c b/drivers/base/power/trace.c
index 94665037f4a35a..72b7a92337b188 100644
--- a/drivers/base/power/trace.c
+++ b/drivers/base/power/trace.c
@@ -120,7 +120,11 @@ static unsigned int read_magic_time(void)
 	struct rtc_time time;
 	unsigned int val;
 
-	mc146818_get_time(&time);
+	if (mc146818_get_time(&time) < 0) {
+		pr_err("Unable to read current time from RTC\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	pr_info("RTC time: %ptRt, date: %ptRd\n", &time, &time);
 	val = time.tm_year;				/* 100 years */
 	if (val > 100)
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
index dc3f8b0dde9891..d0f58cca5c205b 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-cmos.c
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ static inline void cmos_write_bank2(unsigned char val, unsigned char addr)
 
 static int cmos_read_time(struct device *dev, struct rtc_time *t)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	/*
 	 * If pm_trace abused the RTC for storage, set the timespec to 0,
 	 * which tells the caller that this RTC value is unusable.
@@ -229,7 +231,12 @@ static int cmos_read_time(struct device *dev, struct rtc_time *t)
 	if (!pm_trace_rtc_valid())
 		return -EIO;
 
-	mc146818_get_time(t);
+	ret = mc146818_get_time(t);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		dev_err_ratelimited(dev, "unable to read current time\n");
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
index c186c8c4982b8e..ccd974b8a75a4d 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-mc146818-lib.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ unsigned int mc146818_get_time(struct rtc_time *time)
 	/* Ensure that the RTC is accessible. Bit 6 must be 0! */
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE((CMOS_READ(RTC_VALID) & 0x40) != 0)) {
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&rtc_lock, flags);
-		memset(time, 0xff, sizeof(*time));
+		memset(time, 0, sizeof(*time));
 		return -EIO;
 	}