diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_at91.c b/drivers/ata/pata_at91.c
index 0da0dcc7dd08..a9a066a18ccf 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_at91.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_at91.c
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@
 
 
 #define DRV_NAME "pata_at91"
-#define DRV_VERSION "0.1"
+#define DRV_VERSION "0.2"
 
 #define CF_IDE_OFFSET	    0x00c00000
 #define CF_ALT_IDE_OFFSET   0x00e00000
 #define CF_IDE_RES_SIZE     0x08
+#define NCS_RD_PULSE_LIMIT  0x3f /* maximal value for pulse bitfields */
 
 struct at91_ide_info {
 	unsigned long mode;
@@ -109,6 +110,11 @@ static void set_smc_timing(struct device *dev,
 	/* (CS0, CS1, DIR, OE) <= (CFCE1, CFCE2, CFRNW, NCSX) timings */
 	ncs_read_setup = 1;
 	ncs_read_pulse = read_cycle - 2;
+	if (ncs_read_pulse > NCS_RD_PULSE_LIMIT) {
+		ncs_read_pulse = NCS_RD_PULSE_LIMIT;
+		dev_warn(dev, "ncs_read_pulse limited to maximal value %lu\n",
+			ncs_read_pulse);
+	}
 
 	/* Write timings same as read timings */
 	write_cycle = read_cycle;