diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-aspeed.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-aspeed.c
index 8dc9161ced38..e9312d90ff7d 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-aspeed.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-aspeed.c
@@ -311,9 +311,13 @@ static u32 aspeed_i2c_slave_irq(struct aspeed_i2c_bus *bus, u32 irq_status)
 	case ASPEED_I2C_SLAVE_STOP:
 		i2c_slave_event(slave, I2C_SLAVE_STOP, &value);
 		break;
+	case ASPEED_I2C_SLAVE_START:
+		/* Slave was just started. Waiting for the next irq. */;
+		break;
 	default:
-		dev_err(bus->dev, "unhandled slave_state: %d\n",
+		dev_err(bus->dev, "unknown slave_state: %d\n",
 			bus->slave_state);
+		bus->slave_state = ASPEED_I2C_SLAVE_STOP;
 		break;
 	}