diff --git a/lib/sbi/sbi_pmu.c b/lib/sbi/sbi_pmu.c
index e084005d..75038f91 100644
--- a/lib/sbi/sbi_pmu.c
+++ b/lib/sbi/sbi_pmu.c
@@ -448,6 +448,8 @@ static int pmu_ctr_start_fw(struct sbi_pmu_hart_state *phs,
 			    uint64_t event_data, uint64_t ival,
 			    bool ival_update)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	if ((event_code >= SBI_PMU_FW_MAX &&
 	    event_code <= SBI_PMU_FW_RESERVED_MAX) ||
 	    event_code > SBI_PMU_FW_PLATFORM)
@@ -468,9 +470,11 @@ static int pmu_ctr_start_fw(struct sbi_pmu_hart_state *phs,
 							cidx - num_hw_ctrs,
 							ival);
 
-		return pmu_dev->fw_counter_start(phs->hartid,
+		ret = pmu_dev->fw_counter_start(phs->hartid,
 						 cidx - num_hw_ctrs,
 						 event_data);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
 	} else {
 		if (ival_update)
 			phs->fw_counters_data[cidx - num_hw_ctrs] = ival;