diff --git a/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-base.c b/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-base.c
index 4a904a4bf05f..0714194229da 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-base.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-base.c
@@ -157,9 +157,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(apei_exec_noop);
  * Interpret the specified action. Go through whole action table,
  * execute all instructions belong to the action.
  */
-int apei_exec_run(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action)
+int __apei_exec_run(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action,
+		    bool optional)
 {
-	int rc;
+	int rc = -ENOENT;
 	u32 i, ip;
 	struct acpi_whea_header *entry;
 	apei_exec_ins_func_t run;
@@ -198,9 +199,9 @@ rewind:
 			goto rewind;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return !optional && rc < 0 ? rc : 0;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(apei_exec_run);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(__apei_exec_run);
 
 typedef int (*apei_exec_entry_func_t)(struct apei_exec_context *ctx,
 				      struct acpi_whea_header *entry,
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-internal.h b/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-internal.h
index ef0581f2094d..f286cf753f32 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-internal.h
+++ b/drivers/acpi/apei/apei-internal.h
@@ -50,7 +50,18 @@ static inline u64 apei_exec_ctx_get_output(struct apei_exec_context *ctx)
 	return ctx->value;
 }
 
-int apei_exec_run(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action);
+int __apei_exec_run(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action, bool optional);
+
+static inline int apei_exec_run(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action)
+{
+	return __apei_exec_run(ctx, action, 0);
+}
+
+/* It is optional whether the firmware provides the action */
+static inline int apei_exec_run_optional(struct apei_exec_context *ctx, u8 action)
+{
+	return __apei_exec_run(ctx, action, 1);
+}
 
 /* Common instruction implementation */