diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/i2c.h b/drivers/include/periph/i2c.h
index 42bcf1be2b..939884bc60 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/i2c.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/i2c.h
@@ -388,8 +388,8 @@ int i2c_write_bytes(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, const void *data,
  * @brief   Convenience function for writing one byte to a given
  *          register address
  *
- * @note    This function is using a repeated start sequence for writing to the
- *          specified register address.
+ * @note    This function is using a continuous sequence for writing to the
+ *          specified register address. It first writes the register then data.
  *
  * @pre     i2c_acquire must be called before accessing the bus
  *
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ int i2c_write_reg(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, uint16_t reg,
 /**
  * @brief   Convenience function for writing data to a given register address
  *
- * @note    This function is using a repeated start sequence for writing to the
- *          specified register address.
+ * @note    This function is using a continuous sequence for writing to the
+ *          specified register address. It first writes the register then data.
  *
  * @pre     i2c_acquire must be called before accessing the bus
  *
diff --git a/drivers/periph_common/i2c.c b/drivers/periph_common/i2c.c
index 4cde5dd493..f6e3ad0b00 100644
--- a/drivers/periph_common/i2c.c
+++ b/drivers/periph_common/i2c.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  *
  * @}
  */
+#include <errno.h>
 
 #include "board.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ int i2c_read_reg(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, uint16_t reg,
 int i2c_read_regs(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, uint16_t reg,
                   void *data, size_t len, uint8_t flags)
 {
+    if (flags & (I2C_NOSTOP | I2C_NOSTART)) {
+        return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+    }
     /* First set ADDR and register with no stop */
     int ret = i2c_write_bytes(dev, addr, &reg, (flags & I2C_REG16) ? 2 : 1,
                               flags | I2C_NOSTOP);
@@ -69,6 +73,9 @@ int i2c_write_reg(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, uint16_t reg,
 int i2c_write_regs(i2c_t dev, uint16_t addr, uint16_t reg,
                    const void *data, size_t len, uint8_t flags)
 {
+    if (flags & (I2C_NOSTOP | I2C_NOSTART)) {
+        return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+    }
     /* First set ADDR and register with no stop */
     int ret = i2c_write_bytes(dev, addr, &reg, (flags & I2C_REG16) ? 2 : 1,
                               flags | I2C_NOSTOP);