diff --git a/drivers/ata/ata_piix.c b/drivers/ata/ata_piix.c
index ea2c7649d399b38c70c987703246de96e9e2b00a..a9027b8fbdd53fbb7ea3e2b6257a84924375b9f3 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/ata_piix.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/ata_piix.c
@@ -1348,6 +1348,8 @@ static void __devinit piix_init_sidpr(struct ata_host *host)
 {
 	struct pci_dev *pdev = to_pci_dev(host->dev);
 	struct piix_host_priv *hpriv = host->private_data;
+	struct ata_device *dev0 = &host->ports[0]->link.device[0];
+	u32 scontrol;
 	int i;
 
 	/* check for availability */
@@ -1366,6 +1368,29 @@ static void __devinit piix_init_sidpr(struct ata_host *host)
 		return;
 
 	hpriv->sidpr = pcim_iomap_table(pdev)[PIIX_SIDPR_BAR];
+
+	/* SCR access via SIDPR doesn't work on some configurations.
+	 * Give it a test drive by inhibiting power save modes which
+	 * we'll do anyway.
+	 */
+	scontrol = piix_sidpr_read(dev0, SCR_CONTROL);
+
+	/* if IPM is already 3, SCR access is probably working.  Don't
+	 * un-inhibit power save modes as BIOS might have inhibited
+	 * them for a reason.
+	 */
+	if ((scontrol & 0xf00) != 0x300) {
+		scontrol |= 0x300;
+		piix_sidpr_write(dev0, SCR_CONTROL, scontrol);
+		scontrol = piix_sidpr_read(dev0, SCR_CONTROL);
+
+		if ((scontrol & 0xf00) != 0x300) {
+			dev_printk(KERN_INFO, host->dev, "SCR access via "
+				   "SIDPR is available but doesn't work\n");
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
 	host->ports[0]->ops = &piix_sidpr_sata_ops;
 	host->ports[1]->ops = &piix_sidpr_sata_ops;
 }