diff --git a/drivers/s390/char/tape.h b/drivers/s390/char/tape.h
index bb4ff537729deb53fbcb629b7e47278643fd406a..3b52f5c1dbefc2d1b388d74c8d46842a72ee28a3 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/char/tape.h
+++ b/drivers/s390/char/tape.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ enum tape_op {
 	TO_CRYPT_OFF,	/* Disable encrpytion */
 	TO_KEKL_SET,	/* Set KEK label */
 	TO_KEKL_QUERY,	/* Query KEK label */
+	TO_RDC,		/* Read device characteristics */
 	TO_SIZE,	/* #entries in tape_op_t */
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.c b/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.c
index 50f5edab83d7fcc79672ceff0c75cc701fd4b7a0..7e2b2ab492641a53aea103845ffe9f1b8c1a6ad8 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.c
@@ -788,6 +788,7 @@ tape_3590_done(struct tape_device *device, struct tape_request *request)
 	case TO_SIZE:
 	case TO_KEKL_SET:
 	case TO_KEKL_QUERY:
+	case TO_RDC:
 		break;
 	}
 	return TAPE_IO_SUCCESS;
@@ -1549,6 +1550,26 @@ tape_3590_irq(struct tape_device *device, struct tape_request *request,
 	return TAPE_IO_STOP;
 }
 
+
+static int tape_3590_read_dev_chars(struct tape_device *device,
+				    struct tape_3590_rdc_data *rdc_data)
+{
+	int rc;
+	struct tape_request *request;
+
+	request = tape_alloc_request(1, sizeof(*rdc_data));
+	if (IS_ERR(request))
+		return PTR_ERR(request);
+	request->op = TO_RDC;
+	tape_ccw_end(request->cpaddr, CCW_CMD_RDC, sizeof(*rdc_data),
+		     request->cpdata);
+	rc = tape_do_io(device, request);
+	if (rc == 0)
+		memcpy(rdc_data, request->cpdata, sizeof(*rdc_data));
+	tape_free_request(request);
+	return rc;
+}
+
 /*
  * Setup device function
  */
@@ -1557,7 +1578,7 @@ tape_3590_setup_device(struct tape_device *device)
 {
 	int rc;
 	struct tape_3590_disc_data *data;
-	char *rdc_data;
+	struct tape_3590_rdc_data *rdc_data;
 
 	DBF_EVENT(6, "3590 device setup\n");
 	data = kzalloc(sizeof(struct tape_3590_disc_data), GFP_KERNEL | GFP_DMA);
@@ -1566,12 +1587,12 @@ tape_3590_setup_device(struct tape_device *device)
 	data->read_back_op = READ_PREVIOUS;
 	device->discdata = data;
 
-	rdc_data = kmalloc(64, GFP_KERNEL | GFP_DMA);
+	rdc_data = kmalloc(sizeof(*rdc_data), GFP_KERNEL | GFP_DMA);
 	if (!rdc_data) {
 		rc = -ENOMEM;
 		goto fail_kmalloc;
 	}
-	rc = read_dev_chars(device->cdev, (void**)&rdc_data, 64);
+	rc = tape_3590_read_dev_chars(device, rdc_data);
 	if (rc) {
 		DBF_LH(3, "Read device characteristics failed!\n");
 		goto fail_kmalloc;
@@ -1579,7 +1600,7 @@ tape_3590_setup_device(struct tape_device *device)
 	rc = tape_std_assign(device);
 	if (rc)
 		goto fail_rdc_data;
-	if (rdc_data[31] == 0x13) {
+	if (rdc_data->data[31] == 0x13) {
 		PRINT_INFO("Device has crypto support\n");
 		data->crypt_info.capability |= TAPE390_CRYPT_SUPPORTED_MASK;
 		tape_3592_disable_crypt(device);
diff --git a/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.h b/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.h
index aa5138807af1d07801d99183e766e08fefda9104..4534055f1376aa3bceb0fdbc7505401fad64877c 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.h
+++ b/drivers/s390/char/tape_3590.h
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ struct tape_3590_med_sense {
 	char pad2[116];
 } __attribute__ ((packed));
 
+struct tape_3590_rdc_data {
+	char data[64];
+} __attribute__ ((packed));
+
 /* Datastructures for 3592 encryption support */
 
 struct tape3592_kekl {
diff --git a/drivers/s390/char/tape_core.c b/drivers/s390/char/tape_core.c
index e2a8a1a04bab46750240326cfce6ca4f634eca2c..2fae6338ee1c146fd09e9c2824129cfaa1e9d9d8 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/char/tape_core.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/char/tape_core.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const char *tape_op_verbose[TO_SIZE] =
 	[TO_DIS] = "DIS",	[TO_ASSIGN] = "ASS",
 	[TO_UNASSIGN] = "UAS",  [TO_CRYPT_ON] = "CON",
 	[TO_CRYPT_OFF] = "COF",	[TO_KEKL_SET] = "KLS",
-	[TO_KEKL_QUERY] = "KLQ",
+	[TO_KEKL_QUERY] = "KLQ",[TO_RDC] = "RDC",
 };
 
 static int
@@ -911,6 +911,7 @@ __tape_start_request(struct tape_device *device, struct tape_request *request)
 		case TO_ASSIGN:
 		case TO_UNASSIGN:
 		case TO_READ_ATTMSG:
+		case TO_RDC:
 			if (device->tape_state == TS_INIT)
 				break;
 			if (device->tape_state == TS_UNUSED)