diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
index 7e4203df83ed..836c247e7684 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ static int smbus_do_alert(struct device *dev, void *addrp)
 	struct i2c_client *client = i2c_verify_client(dev);
 	struct alert_data *data = addrp;
 	struct i2c_driver *driver;
+	int ret;
 
 	if (!client || client->addr != data->addr)
 		return 0;
@@ -47,16 +48,21 @@ static int smbus_do_alert(struct device *dev, void *addrp)
 	device_lock(dev);
 	if (client->dev.driver) {
 		driver = to_i2c_driver(client->dev.driver);
-		if (driver->alert)
+		if (driver->alert) {
+			/* Stop iterating after we find the device */
 			driver->alert(client, data->type, data->data);
-		else
+			ret = -EBUSY;
+		} else {
 			dev_warn(&client->dev, "no driver alert()!\n");
-	} else
+			ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		}
+	} else {
 		dev_dbg(&client->dev, "alert with no driver\n");
+		ret = -ENODEV;
+	}
 	device_unlock(dev);
 
-	/* Stop iterating after we find the device */
-	return -EBUSY;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -67,6 +73,7 @@ static irqreturn_t smbus_alert(int irq, void *d)
 {
 	struct i2c_smbus_alert *alert = d;
 	struct i2c_client *ara;
+	unsigned short prev_addr = I2C_CLIENT_END; /* Not a valid address */
 
 	ara = alert->ara;
 
@@ -94,8 +101,19 @@ static irqreturn_t smbus_alert(int irq, void *d)
 			data.addr, data.data);
 
 		/* Notify driver for the device which issued the alert */
-		device_for_each_child(&ara->adapter->dev, &data,
-				      smbus_do_alert);
+		status = device_for_each_child(&ara->adapter->dev, &data,
+					       smbus_do_alert);
+		/*
+		 * If we read the same address more than once, and the alert
+		 * was not handled by a driver, it won't do any good to repeat
+		 * the loop because it will never terminate.
+		 * Bail out in this case.
+		 * Note: This assumes that a driver with alert handler handles
+		 * the alert properly and clears it if necessary.
+		 */
+		if (data.addr == prev_addr && status != -EBUSY)
+			break;
+		prev_addr = data.addr;
 	}
 
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;