diff --git a/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe_phy.c b/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe_phy.c
index 236d6685f8a9..c1cbc282c790 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe_phy.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe_phy.c
@@ -169,12 +169,12 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_i2c_combined_generic_int(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 addr, u16 reg,
 		ixgbe_i2c_bus_clear(hw);
 		if (lock)
 			hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, swfw_mask);
-		retry++;
 		if (retry < max_retry)
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte read combined error - Retrying.\n");
 		else
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte read combined error.\n");
-	} while (retry < max_retry);
+		retry++;
+	} while (retry <= max_retry);
 
 	return IXGBE_ERR_I2C;
 }
@@ -234,12 +234,12 @@ s32 ixgbe_write_i2c_combined_generic_int(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 addr, u16 reg,
 		ixgbe_i2c_bus_clear(hw);
 		if (lock)
 			hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, swfw_mask);
-		retry++;
 		if (retry < max_retry)
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte write combined error - Retrying.\n");
 		else
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte write combined error.\n");
-	} while (retry < max_retry);
+		retry++;
+	} while (retry <= max_retry);
 
 	return IXGBE_ERR_I2C;
 }
@@ -2066,13 +2066,12 @@ static s32 ixgbe_read_i2c_byte_generic_int(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 byte_offset,
 			hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, swfw_mask);
 			msec_delay(100);
 		}
-		retry++;
 		if (retry < max_retry)
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte read error - Retrying.\n");
 		else
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte read error.\n");
-
-	} while (retry < max_retry);
+		retry++;
+	} while (retry <= max_retry);
 
 	return status;
 }
@@ -2170,12 +2169,12 @@ static s32 ixgbe_write_i2c_byte_generic_int(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 byte_offset,
 
 fail:
 		ixgbe_i2c_bus_clear(hw);
-		retry++;
 		if (retry < max_retry)
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte write error - Retrying.\n");
 		else
 			DEBUGOUT("I2C byte write error.\n");
-	} while (retry < max_retry);
+		retry++;
+	} while (retry <= max_retry);
 
 	if (lock)
 		hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, swfw_mask);