diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
index 00f86abc6bae..dadcaf9ff462 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ static void ata_force_link_limits(struct ata_link *link)
  */
 static void ata_force_xfermask(struct ata_device *dev)
 {
+	struct ata_port *ap = dev->link->ap;
 	int devno = dev->link->pmp + dev->devno;
 	int alt_devno = devno;
 	int i;
@@ -458,6 +459,17 @@ static void ata_force_xfermask(struct ata_device *dev)
 
 		ata_unpack_xfermask(fe->param.xfer_mask,
 				    &pio_mask, &mwdma_mask, &udma_mask);
+
+		/* Make sure that the port supports the specified xfer modes. */
+		if (!(pio_mask & ap->pio_mask) &&
+		    !(mwdma_mask & ap->mwdma_mask) &&
+		    !(udma_mask & ap->udma_mask)) {
+			ata_dev_warn(dev,
+				     "FORCE: ignoring unsupported xfer_mask %s\n",
+				     fe->param.name);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		if (udma_mask)
 			dev->udma_mask = udma_mask;
 		else if (mwdma_mask) {