diff --git a/api/mraa/spi.h b/api/mraa/spi.h
index b2ca81c..ed64db0 100644
--- a/api/mraa/spi.h
+++ b/api/mraa/spi.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ mraa_result_t mraa_spi_frequency(mraa_spi_context dev, int hz);
 uint8_t mraa_spi_write(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t data);
 
 /** Write Buffer of bytes to the SPI device. The pointer return has to be
- * free'd by the caller.
+ * free'd by the caller. It will return a NULL pointer in cases of error.
  *
  * @param dev The Spi context
  * @param data to send
diff --git a/api/mraa/spi.hpp b/api/mraa/spi.hpp
index 941f3e8..520698e 100644
--- a/api/mraa/spi.hpp
+++ b/api/mraa/spi.hpp
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ class Spi {
         }
         /**
          * Write buffer of bytes to SPI device The pointer return has to be
-         * free'd by the caller.
+	 * free'd by the caller. It will return a NULL pointer in cases of
+	 * error
          *
          * @param data buffer to send
          * @param length size of buffer to send
diff --git a/src/spi/spi.c b/src/spi/spi.c
index 6589eaf..7350261 100644
--- a/src/spi/spi.c
+++ b/src/spi/spi.c
@@ -172,27 +172,6 @@ mraa_spi_write(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t data)
     return recv;
 }
 
-uint8_t*
-mraa_spi_write_buf(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t* data, int length)
-{
-    struct spi_ioc_transfer msg;
-    memset(&msg, 0, sizeof(msg));
-
-    uint8_t* recv = malloc(sizeof(uint8_t) * length);
-
-    msg.tx_buf = (unsigned long) data;
-    msg.rx_buf = (unsigned long) recv;
-    msg.speed_hz = dev->clock;
-    msg.bits_per_word = dev->bpw;
-    msg.delay_usecs = 0;
-    msg.len = length;
-    if (ioctl(dev->devfd, SPI_IOC_MESSAGE(1), &msg) < 0) {
-        syslog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to perform dev transfer");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    return recv;
-}
-
 mraa_result_t
 mraa_spi_transfer_buf(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t* data, uint8_t* rxbuf, int length)
 {
@@ -212,6 +191,18 @@ mraa_spi_transfer_buf(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t* data, uint8_t* rxbuf, int l
     return MRAA_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+uint8_t*
+mraa_spi_write_buf(mraa_spi_context dev, uint8_t* data, int length)
+{
+    uint8_t* recv = malloc(sizeof(uint8_t) * length);
+
+    if (mraa_spi_transfer_buf(dev, data, recv, length) != MRAA_SUCCESS) {
+        free(recv);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    return recv;
+}
+
 mraa_result_t
 mraa_spi_stop(mraa_spi_context dev)
 {