diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/stv0299.c b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/stv0299.c
index 889d9257215d733893d2deb16caed9ae66b4384d..b1876618a37dd4726a547267b83b06ac04744343 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/stv0299.c
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/stv0299.c
@@ -64,8 +64,12 @@ struct stv0299_state {
 	u32 tuner_frequency;
 	u32 symbol_rate;
 	fe_code_rate_t fec_inner;
+	int errmode;
 };
 
+#define STATUS_BER 0
+#define STATUS_UCBLOCKS 1
+
 static int debug;
 static int debug_legacy_dish_switch;
 #define dprintk(args...) \
@@ -517,8 +521,7 @@ static int stv0299_read_ber(struct dvb_frontend* fe, u32* ber)
 {
         struct stv0299_state* state = fe->demodulator_priv;
 
-	stv0299_writeregI(state, 0x34, (stv0299_readreg(state, 0x34) & 0xcf) | 0x10);
-	msleep(100);
+	if (state->errmode != STATUS_BER) return 0;
 	*ber = (stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1d) << 8) | stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1e);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -557,9 +560,8 @@ static int stv0299_read_ucblocks(struct dvb_frontend* fe, u32* ucblocks)
 {
         struct stv0299_state* state = fe->demodulator_priv;
 
-	stv0299_writeregI(state, 0x34, (stv0299_readreg(state, 0x34) & 0xcf) | 0x30);
-	msleep(100);
-	*ucblocks = (stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1d) << 8) | stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1e);
+	if (state->errmode != STATUS_UCBLOCKS) *ucblocks = 0;
+	else *ucblocks = (stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1d) << 8) | stv0299_readreg (state, 0x1e);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -708,6 +710,7 @@ struct dvb_frontend* stv0299_attach(const struct stv0299_config* config,
 	state->tuner_frequency = 0;
 	state->symbol_rate = 0;
 	state->fec_inner = 0;
+	state->errmode = STATUS_BER;
 
 	/* check if the demod is there */
 	stv0299_writeregI(state, 0x02, 0x34); /* standby off */