diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_hpt37x.c b/drivers/ata/pata_hpt37x.c
index f242157bc81bb..ae8375e9d2681 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_hpt37x.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_hpt37x.c
@@ -919,6 +919,20 @@ static int hpt37x_init_one(struct pci_dev *dev, const struct pci_device_id *id)
 	irqmask &= ~0x10;
 	pci_write_config_byte(dev, 0x5a, irqmask);
 
+	/*
+	 * HPT371 chips physically have only one channel, the secondary one,
+	 * but the primary channel registers do exist!  Go figure...
+	 * So,  we manually disable the non-existing channel here
+	 * (if the BIOS hasn't done this already).
+	 */
+	if (dev->device == PCI_DEVICE_ID_TTI_HPT371) {
+		u8 mcr1;
+
+		pci_read_config_byte(dev, 0x50, &mcr1);
+		mcr1 &= ~0x04;
+		pci_write_config_byte(dev, 0x50, mcr1);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * default to pci clock. make sure MA15/16 are set to output
 	 * to prevent drives having problems with 40-pin cables. Needed