diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-cdns.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-cdns.c
index 1a892072063..935b2ac6377 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-cdns.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-cdns.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ static int cdns_i2c_xfer(struct udevice *dev, struct i2c_msg *msg,
 
 	debug("i2c_xfer: %d messages\n", nmsgs);
 	for (u8 retry = 0; retry < CDNS_I2C_ARB_LOST_MAX_RETRIES &&
-	     nmsgs > 0; nmsgs--, msg++) {
+	     nmsgs > 0;) {
 		debug("i2c_xfer: chip=0x%x, len=0x%x\n", msg->addr, msg->len);
 		if (msg->flags & I2C_M_RD) {
 			ret = cdns_i2c_read_data(i2c_bus, msg->addr, msg->buf,
@@ -461,7 +461,8 @@ static int cdns_i2c_xfer(struct udevice *dev, struct i2c_msg *msg,
 			       retry);
 			continue;
 		}
-
+		nmsgs--;
+		msg++;
 		if (ret) {
 			debug("i2c_write: error sending\n");
 			return -EREMOTEIO;