diff --git a/libfprint/drivers/upekts.c b/libfprint/drivers/upekts.c
index 5553d8e..a67cd94 100644
--- a/libfprint/drivers/upekts.c
+++ b/libfprint/drivers/upekts.c
@@ -321,10 +321,13 @@ static int __handle_incoming_msg(struct read_msg_data *udata,
 			fp_err("cmd response without 28 byte?");
 			return -1;
 		}
-		if (innerbuf[3] || innerbuf[4]) {
-			fp_err("non-zero bytes in cmd response");
-			return -1;
-		}
+
+		/* not really sure what these 2 bytes are. on most people's hardware,
+		 * these bytes are always 0. However, Alon Bar-Lev's hardware gives
+		 * 0xfb 0xff during the READ28_OB initsm stage. so don't error out
+		 * if they are different... */
+		if (innerbuf[3] || innerbuf[4])
+			fp_dbg("non-zero bytes in cmd response");
 
 		innerlen = innerbuf[1] | (innerbuf[2] << 8);
 		innerlen = GUINT16_FROM_LE(innerlen) - 3;