diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c b/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
index ed637ae33ece31faecb60076df6106166bd32ff9..5d8b91e70ecd82b41b33b3ab407eeb650599d9ff 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_it821x.c
@@ -533,6 +533,10 @@ static int it821x_check_atapi_dma(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 	struct ata_port *ap = qc->ap;
 	struct it821x_dev *itdev = ap->private_data;
 
+	/* Only use dma for transfers to/from the media. */
+	if (qc->nbytes < 2048)
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	/* No ATAPI DMA in smart mode */
 	if (itdev->smart)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;