diff --git a/drivers/ata/libahci.c b/drivers/ata/libahci.c
index 1290dd540101..95e4a18fd459 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libahci.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libahci.c
@@ -2750,6 +2750,8 @@ static int ahci_host_activate_multi_irqs(struct ata_host *host,
 			      host->ports[i]);
 	}
 
+	ata_host_undo_start(host);
+
 	return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c b/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
index 6e072d681341..b44c0db4a86e 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
@@ -689,6 +689,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ahci_platform_get_resources);
  * ahci-platform host, note any necessary resources (ie clks, phys, etc.)
  * must be initialized / enabled before calling this.
  *
+ * On failure, ->host_stop() is not called, so the caller has to release the
+ * resources it enabled (clocks, regulators, resets, PHYs) in its probe()
+ * error path.
+ *
  * RETURNS:
  * 0 on success otherwise a negative error code
  */
diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
index f482c0a6d7e9..197f5d6e93ce 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
@@ -6127,6 +6127,46 @@ int ata_host_start(struct ata_host *host)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ata_host_start);
 
+/**
+ *	ata_host_undo_start - undo ata_host_start()
+ *	@host: ATA host to undo_start
+ *
+ *	Stop the ports of @host and drop the devres action registered by
+ *	ata_host_start(), without calling ->host_stop().  Nothing is done if
+ *	@host has not been started.
+ *
+ *	This gives the release of the host resources back to the caller, which
+ *	is what a driver whose probe() error path releases those resources
+ *	itself needs when starting or activating the host fails.
+ *
+ *	LOCKING:
+ *	Inherited from calling layer (may sleep).
+ */
+void ata_host_undo_start(struct ata_host *host)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	if (!(host->flags & ATA_HOST_STARTED))
+		return;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < host->n_ports; i++) {
+		struct ata_port *ap = host->ports[i];
+
+		if (ap->ops->port_stop)
+			ap->ops->port_stop(ap);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Drop the action added by ata_host_start() without calling it.
+	 * It does not exist if neither ->port_stop() nor ->host_stop() is
+	 * implemented, in which case there is nothing to drop.
+	 */
+	devres_destroy(host->dev, ata_host_stop, NULL, NULL);
+
+	host->flags &= ~ATA_HOST_STARTED;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ata_host_undo_start);
+
 /**
  *	ata_host_init - Initialize a host struct for sas (ipr, libsas)
  *	@host:	host to initialize
@@ -6201,6 +6241,12 @@ static void async_port_probe(void *data, async_cookie_t cookie)
  *	starts ports, registers @host with ATA and SCSI layers and
  *	probe registered devices.
  *
+ *	On failure, the host remains started, i.e. the devres action
+ *	registered by ata_host_start() is kept, so ->host_stop() is called by
+ *	the driver core when probe() fails.  A caller which releases the host
+ *	resources in its own probe() error path must therefore call
+ *	ata_host_undo_start().
+ *
  *	LOCKING:
  *	Inherited from calling layer (may sleep).
  *
@@ -6294,6 +6340,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ata_host_register);
  *	have set polling mode on the port. In this case, @irq_handler
  *	should be NULL.
  *
+ *	On failure, the ports are stopped again and the devres action
+ *	registered by ata_host_start() is dropped without calling
+ *	->host_stop(), so releasing the host resources is left to the caller.
+ *
  *	LOCKING:
  *	Inherited from calling layer (may sleep).
  *
@@ -6314,27 +6364,40 @@ int ata_host_activate(struct ata_host *host, int irq,
 	/* Special case for polling mode */
 	if (!irq) {
 		WARN_ON(irq_handler);
-		return ata_host_register(host, sht);
+		rc = ata_host_register(host, sht);
+		if (rc)
+			goto undo_start;
+
+		return 0;
 	}
 
 	irq_desc = devm_kasprintf(host->dev, GFP_KERNEL, "%s[%s]",
 				  dev_driver_string(host->dev),
 				  dev_name(host->dev));
-	if (!irq_desc)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	if (!irq_desc) {
+		rc = -ENOMEM;
+		goto undo_start;
+	}
 
 	rc = devm_request_irq(host->dev, irq, irq_handler, irq_flags,
 			      irq_desc, host);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto undo_start;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < host->n_ports; i++)
 		ata_port_desc_misc(host->ports[i], irq);
 
 	rc = ata_host_register(host, sht);
-	/* if failed, just free the IRQ and leave ports alone */
-	if (rc)
+	if (rc) {
+		/* Free the IRQ, so that the handler can no longer run */
 		devm_free_irq(host->dev, irq, host);
+		goto undo_start;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+
+undo_start:
+	ata_host_undo_start(host);
 
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c b/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
index 976e4e160494..d5ef0338735c 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
@@ -2267,6 +2267,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ata_pci_sff_prepare_host);
  *	hosts.  This separate helper is necessary because SFF hosts
  *	use two separate interrupts in legacy mode.
  *
+ *	Note that, unlike ata_host_activate(), the devres action registered
+ *	by ata_host_start() is kept on failure, i.e. ->host_stop() is called
+ *	by the driver core when probe() fails.  All callers of this function
+ *	rely on that, none of them releases the host resources itself.
+ *
  *	LOCKING:
  *	Inherited from calling layer (may sleep).
  *
diff --git a/drivers/ata/sata_fsl.c b/drivers/ata/sata_fsl.c
index c6df55886fe1..987d8acf1486 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/sata_fsl.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/sata_fsl.c
@@ -1490,8 +1490,10 @@ static int sata_fsl_probe(struct platform_device *ofdev)
 	 * device discovery process, invoking our port_start() handler &
 	 * error_handler() to execute a dummy Softreset EH session
 	 */
-	ata_host_activate(host, irq, sata_fsl_interrupt, SATA_FSL_IRQ_FLAG,
-			  &sata_fsl_sht);
+	retval = ata_host_activate(host, irq, sata_fsl_interrupt,
+				   SATA_FSL_IRQ_FLAG, &sata_fsl_sht);
+	if (retval)
+		goto error_exit_with_cleanup;
 
 	host_priv->intr_coalescing.show = fsl_sata_intr_coalescing_show;
 	host_priv->intr_coalescing.store = fsl_sata_intr_coalescing_store;
diff --git a/drivers/ata/sata_qstor.c b/drivers/ata/sata_qstor.c
index 4e7f5b2ff3f6..f38310b84f51 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/sata_qstor.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/sata_qstor.c
@@ -584,8 +584,12 @@ static int qs_ata_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	qs_host_init(host, board_idx);
 
 	pci_set_master(pdev);
-	return ata_host_activate(host, pdev->irq, qs_intr, IRQF_SHARED,
-				 &qs_ata_sht);
+	rc = ata_host_activate(host, pdev->irq, qs_intr, IRQF_SHARED,
+			       &qs_ata_sht);
+	if (rc)
+		qs_host_stop(host);
+
+	return rc;
 }
 
 module_pci_driver(qs_ata_pci_driver);
diff --git a/include/linux/libata.h b/include/linux/libata.h
index 313e96173b19..4625b2eea294 100644
--- a/include/linux/libata.h
+++ b/include/linux/libata.h
@@ -1147,6 +1147,7 @@ extern struct ata_host *ata_host_alloc_pinfo(struct device *dev,
 extern void ata_host_get(struct ata_host *host);
 extern void ata_host_put(struct ata_host *host);
 extern int ata_host_start(struct ata_host *host);
+void ata_host_undo_start(struct ata_host *host);
 extern int ata_host_register(struct ata_host *host,
 			     const struct scsi_host_template *sht);
 extern int ata_host_activate(struct ata_host *host, int irq,