diff --git a/drivers/base/bus.c b/drivers/base/bus.c
index 7d7d28f498ed..f970a40a2f7a 100644
--- a/drivers/base/bus.c
+++ b/drivers/base/bus.c
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ static ssize_t bus_attr_show(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 {
 	struct bus_attribute *bus_attr = to_bus_attr(attr);
 	struct subsys_private *subsys_priv = to_subsys_private(kobj);
-	ssize_t ret = 0;
+	/* return -EIO for reading a bus attribute without show() */
+	ssize_t ret = -EIO;
 
 	if (bus_attr->show)
 		ret = bus_attr->show(subsys_priv->bus, buf);
@@ -115,7 +116,8 @@ static ssize_t bus_attr_store(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 {
 	struct bus_attribute *bus_attr = to_bus_attr(attr);
 	struct subsys_private *subsys_priv = to_subsys_private(kobj);
-	ssize_t ret = 0;
+	/* return -EIO for writing a bus attribute without store() */
+	ssize_t ret = -EIO;
 
 	if (bus_attr->store)
 		ret = bus_attr->store(subsys_priv->bus, buf, count);