diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpio_ite_it8801.c b/drivers/gpio/gpio_ite_it8801.c
index ca2423f..94cd36a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpio_ite_it8801.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpio_ite_it8801.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	int ret;
 	uint8_t reg_gpcr = config->reg_gpcr + pin;
 	uint8_t mask = BIT(pin);
-	uint8_t new_value, control;
+	uint8_t control;
 
 	/* Don't support "open source" mode */
 	if (((flags & GPIO_SINGLE_ENDED) != 0) && ((flags & GPIO_LINE_OPEN_DRAIN) == 0)) {
@@ -86,13 +86,11 @@
 	/* If output, set level before changing type to an output. */
 	if (flags & GPIO_OUTPUT) {
 		if (flags & GPIO_OUTPUT_INIT_HIGH) {
-			new_value = mask;
+			ret = i2c_reg_update_byte_dt(&config->i2c_dev, config->reg_sovr, mask,
+						     mask);
 		} else if (flags & GPIO_OUTPUT_INIT_LOW) {
-			new_value = 0;
-		} else {
-			new_value = 0;
+			ret = i2c_reg_update_byte_dt(&config->i2c_dev, config->reg_sovr, mask, 0);
 		}
-		ret = i2c_reg_update_byte_dt(&config->i2c_dev, config->reg_sovr, mask, new_value);
 		if (ret) {
 			LOG_ERR("Failed to set output value (ret %d)", ret);
 			return ret;