diff --git a/drivers/staging/speakup/kobjects.c b/drivers/staging/speakup/kobjects.c
index 4ea441d67c32..5d871ec3693c 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/speakup/kobjects.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/speakup/kobjects.c
@@ -833,7 +833,9 @@ static ssize_t message_show(struct kobject *kobj,
 	struct msg_group_t *group = spk_find_msg_group(attr->attr.name);
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	BUG_ON(!group);
+	if (WARN_ON(!group))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&speakup_info.spinlock, flags);
 	retval = message_show_helper(buf, group->start, group->end);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&speakup_info.spinlock, flags);
@@ -845,7 +847,9 @@ static ssize_t message_store(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_attribute *attr,
 {
 	struct msg_group_t *group = spk_find_msg_group(attr->attr.name);
 
-	BUG_ON(!group);
+	if (WARN_ON(!group))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	return message_store_helper(buf, count, group);
 }