}
        }
 
-       /* if device 1 was found in ata_devchk, wait for
-        * register access, then wait for BSY to clear
+       /* if device 1 was found in ata_devchk, wait for register
+        * access briefly, then wait for BSY to clear.
         */
-       while (dev1) {
-               u8 nsect, lbal;
+       if (dev1) {
+               int i;
 
                ap->ops->dev_select(ap, 1);
-               nsect = ioread8(ioaddr->nsect_addr);
-               lbal = ioread8(ioaddr->lbal_addr);
-               if ((nsect == 1) && (lbal == 1))
-                       break;
-               if (time_after(jiffies, deadline))
-                       return -EBUSY;
-               msleep(50);     /* give drive a breather */
-       }
-       if (dev1) {
+
+               /* Wait for register access.  Some ATAPI devices fail
+                * to set nsect/lbal after reset, so don't waste too
+                * much time on it.  We're gonna wait for !BSY anyway.
+                */
+               for (i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+                       u8 nsect, lbal;
+
+                       nsect = ioread8(ioaddr->nsect_addr);
+                       lbal = ioread8(ioaddr->lbal_addr);
+                       if ((nsect == 1) && (lbal == 1))
+                               break;
+                       msleep(50);     /* give drive a breather */
+               }
+
                rc = ata_wait_ready(ap, deadline);
                if (rc) {
                        if (rc != -ENODEV)