diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000.h
index c760dc72c520..c5a119daa7f3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000.h
@@ -574,7 +574,6 @@ static inline u32 __er32(struct e1000_hw *hw, unsigned long reg)
 
 #define er32(reg)	__er32(hw, E1000_##reg)
 
-s32 __ew32_prepare(struct e1000_hw *hw);
 void __ew32(struct e1000_hw *hw, unsigned long reg, u32 val);
 
 #define ew32(reg, val)	__ew32(hw, E1000_##reg, (val))
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/netdev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/netdev.c
index b08732212fe2..589a5296da4b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/netdev.c
@@ -119,14 +119,12 @@ static const struct e1000_reg_info e1000_reg_info_tbl[] = {
  * has bit 24 set while ME is accessing MAC CSR registers, wait if it is set
  * and try again a number of times.
  **/
-s32 __ew32_prepare(struct e1000_hw *hw)
+static void __ew32_prepare(struct e1000_hw *hw)
 {
 	s32 i = E1000_ICH_FWSM_PCIM2PCI_COUNT;
 
 	while ((er32(FWSM) & E1000_ICH_FWSM_PCIM2PCI) && --i)
 		udelay(50);
-
-	return i;
 }
 
 void __ew32(struct e1000_hw *hw, unsigned long reg, u32 val)
@@ -607,11 +605,11 @@ static void e1000e_update_rdt_wa(struct e1000_ring *rx_ring, unsigned int i)
 {
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = rx_ring->adapter;
 	struct e1000_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
-	s32 ret_val = __ew32_prepare(hw);
 
+	__ew32_prepare(hw);
 	writel(i, rx_ring->tail);
 
-	if (unlikely(!ret_val && (i != readl(rx_ring->tail)))) {
+	if (unlikely(i != readl(rx_ring->tail))) {
 		u32 rctl = er32(RCTL);
 
 		ew32(RCTL, rctl & ~E1000_RCTL_EN);
@@ -624,11 +622,11 @@ static void e1000e_update_tdt_wa(struct e1000_ring *tx_ring, unsigned int i)
 {
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = tx_ring->adapter;
 	struct e1000_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
-	s32 ret_val = __ew32_prepare(hw);
 
+	__ew32_prepare(hw);
 	writel(i, tx_ring->tail);
 
-	if (unlikely(!ret_val && (i != readl(tx_ring->tail)))) {
+	if (unlikely(i != readl(tx_ring->tail))) {
 		u32 tctl = er32(TCTL);
 
 		ew32(TCTL, tctl & ~E1000_TCTL_EN);