diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
index 8147a8386370..c15572d22a3b 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
@@ -2979,12 +2979,13 @@ static int ata_eh_handle_dev_fail(struct ata_device *dev, int err)
 		/* give it just one more chance */
 		ehc->tries[dev->devno] = min(ehc->tries[dev->devno], 1);
 	case -EIO:
-		if (ehc->tries[dev->devno] == 1 && dev->pio_mode > XFER_PIO_0) {
+		if (ehc->tries[dev->devno] == 1) {
 			/* This is the last chance, better to slow
 			 * down than lose it.
 			 */
 			sata_down_spd_limit(ata_dev_phys_link(dev));
-			ata_down_xfermask_limit(dev, ATA_DNXFER_PIO);
+			if (dev->pio_mode > XFER_PIO_0)
+				ata_down_xfermask_limit(dev, ATA_DNXFER_PIO);
 		}
 	}