diff --git a/drivers/scsi/ahci.c b/drivers/scsi/ahci.c
index bb3686ae188569646cffcc11227f12226d01265d..0f6e4dd22901988bf719ffbb5dc50ee2f0590be0 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/ahci.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/ahci.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ struct ahci_port_priv {
 static u32 ahci_scr_read (struct ata_port *ap, unsigned int sc_reg);
 static void ahci_scr_write (struct ata_port *ap, unsigned int sc_reg, u32 val);
 static int ahci_init_one (struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent);
-static int ahci_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int ahci_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static irqreturn_t ahci_interrupt (int irq, void *dev_instance, struct pt_regs *regs);
 static void ahci_phy_reset(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void ahci_irq_clear(struct ata_port *ap);
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ static irqreturn_t ahci_interrupt (int irq, void *dev_instance, struct pt_regs *
 	return IRQ_RETVAL(handled);
 }
 
-static int ahci_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int ahci_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct ata_port *ap = qc->ap;
 	void __iomem *port_mmio = (void __iomem *) ap->ioaddr.cmd_addr;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libata-core.c b/drivers/scsi/libata-core.c
index f5519f01491cd4270ad7ea192a9576868db3ee41..b29bf0dc948a72b6c0b4fe258319e7ad4f3d75da 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libata-core.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libata-core.c
@@ -1125,10 +1125,9 @@ ata_exec_internal(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_device *dev,
 	qc->private_data = &wait;
 	qc->complete_fn = ata_qc_complete_internal;
 
-	if (ata_qc_issue(qc)) {
-		qc->err_mask = AC_ERR_OTHER;
+	qc->err_mask = ata_qc_issue(qc);
+	if (qc->err_mask)
 		ata_qc_complete(qc);
-	}
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ap->host_set->lock, flags);
 
@@ -3674,10 +3673,10 @@ static inline int ata_should_dma_map(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
  *	spin_lock_irqsave(host_set lock)
  *
  *	RETURNS:
- *	Zero on success, negative on error.
+ *	Zero on success, AC_ERR_* mask on failure
  */
 
-int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+unsigned int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct ata_port *ap = qc->ap;
 
@@ -3702,7 +3701,7 @@ int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 
 sg_err:
 	qc->flags &= ~ATA_QCFLAG_DMAMAP;
-	return -1;
+	return AC_ERR_SYSTEM;
 }
 
 
@@ -3721,10 +3720,10 @@ int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
  *	spin_lock_irqsave(host_set lock)
  *
  *	RETURNS:
- *	Zero on success, negative on error.
+ *	Zero on success, AC_ERR_* mask on failure
  */
 
-int ata_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+unsigned int ata_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct ata_port *ap = qc->ap;
 
@@ -3769,7 +3768,7 @@ int ata_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 
 	default:
 		WARN_ON(1);
-		return -1;
+		return AC_ERR_SYSTEM;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libata-scsi.c b/drivers/scsi/libata-scsi.c
index c496309f691a045855cbf65c1898c2755702c604..95e3c278dd4354b3d42d434f60abccf932fbd703 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libata-scsi.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libata-scsi.c
@@ -1322,10 +1322,9 @@ static void ata_scsi_translate(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_device *dev,
 		goto early_finish;
 
 	/* select device, send command to hardware */
-	if (ata_qc_issue(qc)) {
-		qc->err_mask |= AC_ERR_OTHER;
+	qc->err_mask = ata_qc_issue(qc);
+	if (qc->err_mask)
 		ata_qc_complete(qc);
-	}
 
 	VPRINTK("EXIT\n");
 	return;
@@ -2044,10 +2043,9 @@ static void atapi_request_sense(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 
 	qc->complete_fn = atapi_sense_complete;
 
-	if (ata_qc_issue(qc)) {
-		qc->err_mask |= AC_ERR_OTHER;
+	qc->err_mask = ata_qc_issue(qc);
+	if (qc->err_mask)
 		ata_qc_complete(qc);
-	}
 
 	DPRINTK("EXIT\n");
 }
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libata.h b/drivers/scsi/libata.h
index e03ce48b7b4b633c8752319470cdb56105054659..9d76923a22536eeb850427757fed3d794b0c270a 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libata.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libata.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ extern struct ata_queued_cmd *ata_qc_new_init(struct ata_port *ap,
 				      struct ata_device *dev);
 extern int ata_rwcmd_protocol(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 extern void ata_qc_free(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-extern int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+extern unsigned int ata_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 extern int ata_check_atapi_dma(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 extern void ata_dev_select(struct ata_port *ap, unsigned int device,
                            unsigned int wait, unsigned int can_sleep);
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/pdc_adma.c b/drivers/scsi/pdc_adma.c
index e8df0c9ec1e646992c5e3354d04868da4dba2d3f..3a6bf58dc37b9affdd3e506371fe13c87dc19018 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/pdc_adma.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/pdc_adma.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static void adma_host_stop(struct ata_host_set *host_set);
 static void adma_port_stop(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void adma_phy_reset(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void adma_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-static int adma_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int adma_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static int adma_check_atapi_dma(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static void adma_bmdma_stop(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static u8 adma_bmdma_status(struct ata_port *ap);
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ static inline void adma_packet_start(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 	writew(aPIOMD4 | aGO, chan + ADMA_CONTROL);
 }
 
-static int adma_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int adma_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct adma_port_priv *pp = qc->ap->private_data;
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sata_mv.c b/drivers/scsi/sata_mv.c
index 89bcd85fa58cc17f03d511e00edbd0c883d1f38a..281223a0e45fd1d12c5af902ba78ce9144cef503 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sata_mv.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sata_mv.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static void mv_host_stop(struct ata_host_set *host_set);
 static int mv_port_start(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void mv_port_stop(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void mv_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-static int mv_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int mv_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static irqreturn_t mv_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_instance,
 				struct pt_regs *regs);
 static void mv_eng_timeout(struct ata_port *ap);
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ static void mv_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
  *      LOCKING:
  *      Inherited from caller.
  */
-static int mv_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int mv_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	void __iomem *port_mmio = mv_ap_base(qc->ap);
 	struct mv_port_priv *pp = qc->ap->private_data;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sata_promise.c b/drivers/scsi/sata_promise.c
index b0b0a69b3563c67a896f83517ae3b609a30aa011..bac36d5b7c3edef0c79b70e2cb754aff56b291d4 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sata_promise.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sata_promise.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static void pdc_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static void pdc_tf_load_mmio(struct ata_port *ap, const struct ata_taskfile *tf);
 static void pdc_exec_command_mmio(struct ata_port *ap, const struct ata_taskfile *tf);
 static void pdc_irq_clear(struct ata_port *ap);
-static int pdc_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int pdc_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 
 
 static struct scsi_host_template pdc_ata_sht = {
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ static inline void pdc_packet_start(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 	readl((void __iomem *) ap->ioaddr.cmd_addr + PDC_PKT_SUBMIT); /* flush */
 }
 
-static int pdc_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int pdc_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	switch (qc->tf.protocol) {
 	case ATA_PROT_DMA:
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sata_qstor.c b/drivers/scsi/sata_qstor.c
index de05e2883f9c4273c64948e1c7e4bee67e420086..2afbeb77f6fea62f9492ce0681b28bd9f59cd42a 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sata_qstor.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sata_qstor.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void qs_host_stop(struct ata_host_set *host_set);
 static void qs_port_stop(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void qs_phy_reset(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void qs_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-static int qs_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int qs_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static int qs_check_atapi_dma(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static void qs_bmdma_stop(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static u8 qs_bmdma_status(struct ata_port *ap);
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ static inline void qs_packet_start(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 	readl(chan + QS_CCT_CFF);          /* flush */
 }
 
-static int qs_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int qs_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct qs_port_priv *pp = qc->ap->private_data;
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sata_sil24.c b/drivers/scsi/sata_sil24.c
index fb59012b9fbe2b4aeb3ff2a43e20df106a74d4a9..5a7a7b1d4add04dde8677fb156551a1fdb5d6334 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sata_sil24.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sata_sil24.c
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ static void sil24_scr_write(struct ata_port *ap, unsigned sc_reg, u32 val);
 static void sil24_tf_read(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_taskfile *tf);
 static void sil24_phy_reset(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void sil24_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-static int sil24_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int sil24_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 static void sil24_irq_clear(struct ata_port *ap);
 static void sil24_eng_timeout(struct ata_port *ap);
 static irqreturn_t sil24_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_instance, struct pt_regs *regs);
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ static void sil24_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 		sil24_fill_sg(qc, sge);
 }
 
-static int sil24_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int sil24_qc_issue(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	struct ata_port *ap = qc->ap;
 	void __iomem *port = (void __iomem *)ap->ioaddr.cmd_addr;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sata_sx4.c b/drivers/scsi/sata_sx4.c
index bc87c16c80d2b2377a6ff1ddabaf396d84d428f4..3175c6bb4fecd6a9cae28e20cedba259b443ef40 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sata_sx4.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sata_sx4.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static void pdc20621_get_from_dimm(struct ata_probe_ent *pe,
 static void pdc20621_put_to_dimm(struct ata_probe_ent *pe,
 				 void *psource, u32 offset, u32 size);
 static void pdc20621_irq_clear(struct ata_port *ap);
-static int pdc20621_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+static unsigned int pdc20621_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 
 
 static struct scsi_host_template pdc_sata_sht = {
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ static void pdc20621_packet_start(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 	}
 }
 
-static int pdc20621_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
+static unsigned int pdc20621_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 {
 	switch (qc->tf.protocol) {
 	case ATA_PROT_DMA:
diff --git a/include/linux/libata.h b/include/linux/libata.h
index 8ff3a7f6f63c2b6a93f2a22b42d92cdc36c1f22b..b1ea2f98bfbb3aaf261fddc7802930160bd3493d 100644
--- a/include/linux/libata.h
+++ b/include/linux/libata.h
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ struct ata_port_operations {
 	void (*bmdma_start) (struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 
 	void (*qc_prep) (struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-	int (*qc_issue) (struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+	unsigned int (*qc_issue) (struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 
 	void (*eng_timeout) (struct ata_port *ap);
 
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ extern void ata_port_stop (struct ata_port *ap);
 extern void ata_host_stop (struct ata_host_set *host_set);
 extern irqreturn_t ata_interrupt (int irq, void *dev_instance, struct pt_regs *regs);
 extern void ata_qc_prep(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
-extern int ata_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
+extern unsigned int ata_qc_issue_prot(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc);
 extern void ata_sg_init_one(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc, void *buf,
 		unsigned int buflen);
 extern void ata_sg_init(struct ata_queued_cmd *qc, struct scatterlist *sg,