diff --git a/lib/access.c b/lib/access.c
index b4605663..96b8195a 100644
--- a/lib/access.c
+++ b/lib/access.c
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ int sensors_get_value(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
 			}
 	}
 
-	if (sensors_read_sysfs_attr(name, subfeat_nr, &val))
+	if (sensors_read_sysfs_attr(name, subfeature, &val))
 		return -SENSORS_ERR_PROC;
 	if (!expr)
 		*result = val;
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ int sensors_set_value(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
 	if (expr)
 		if ((res = sensors_eval_expr(name, expr, value, &to_write)))
 			return res;
-	if (sensors_write_sysfs_attr(name, subfeat_nr, to_write))
+	if (sensors_write_sysfs_attr(name, subfeature, to_write))
 		return -SENSORS_ERR_PROC;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/sysfs.c b/lib/sysfs.c
index f96cee95..a700bea0 100644
--- a/lib/sysfs.c
+++ b/lib/sysfs.c
@@ -541,16 +541,13 @@ exit0:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int sensors_read_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
+int sensors_read_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name,
+			    const sensors_subfeature *subfeature,
 			    double *value)
 {
-	const sensors_subfeature *subfeature;
 	char n[NAME_MAX];
 	FILE *f;
 
-	if (!(subfeature = sensors_lookup_subfeature_nr(name, subfeat_nr)))
-		return -SENSORS_ERR_NO_ENTRY;
-
 	snprintf(n, NAME_MAX, "%s/%s", name->path, subfeature->name);
 	if ((f = fopen(n, "r"))) {
 		int res = fscanf(f, "%lf", value);
@@ -564,16 +561,13 @@ int sensors_read_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int sensors_write_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
+int sensors_write_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name,
+			     const sensors_subfeature *subfeature,
 			     double value)
 {
-	const sensors_subfeature *subfeature;
 	char n[NAME_MAX];
 	FILE *f;
 
-	if (!(subfeature = sensors_lookup_subfeature_nr(name, subfeat_nr)))
-		return -SENSORS_ERR_NO_ENTRY;
-
 	snprintf(n, NAME_MAX, "%s/%s", name->path, subfeature->name);
 	if ((f = fopen(n, "w"))) {
 		value *= get_type_scaling(subfeature->type);
diff --git a/lib/sysfs.h b/lib/sysfs.h
index f90a7ae5..f547bd7d 100644
--- a/lib/sysfs.h
+++ b/lib/sysfs.h
@@ -29,11 +29,13 @@ int sensors_read_sysfs_chips(void);
 int sensors_read_sysfs_bus(void);
 
 /* Read a value out of a sysfs attribute file */
-int sensors_read_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
+int sensors_read_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name,
+			    const sensors_subfeature *subfeature,
 			    double *value);
 
 /* Write a value to a sysfs attribute file */
-int sensors_write_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name, int subfeat_nr,
+int sensors_write_sysfs_attr(const sensors_chip_name *name,
+			     const sensors_subfeature *subfeature,
 			     double value);
 
 #endif /* !SENSORS_LIB_SYSFS_H */