diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_sis.c b/drivers/ata/pata_sis.c
index 2b4508206a6cd3753344405ff5c131e9a75abbea..657b1ee2f5c13a5e251f4bd18b2f9a274d4a4051 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_sis.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_sis.c
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ static int sis_pre_reset(struct ata_port *ap, unsigned long deadline)
 	if (!pci_test_config_bits(pdev, &sis_enable_bits[ap->port_no]))
 		return -ENOENT;
 
+	/* Clear the FIFO settings. We can't enable the FIFO until
+	   we know we are poking at a disk */
+	pci_write_config_byte(pdev, 0x4B, 0);
 	return ata_std_prereset(ap, deadline);
 }