diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-sata.c b/drivers/ata/libata-sata.c
index e3c9cb617048..6c07025011ed 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-sata.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-sata.c
@@ -1035,6 +1035,7 @@ int ata_change_queue_depth(struct ata_port *ap, struct scsi_device *sdev,
 {
 	struct ata_device *dev;
 	unsigned long flags;
+	int max_queue_depth;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(ap->lock, flags);
 
@@ -1044,22 +1045,32 @@ int ata_change_queue_depth(struct ata_port *ap, struct scsi_device *sdev,
 		return sdev->queue_depth;
 	}
 
-	/* NCQ enabled? */
-	dev->flags &= ~ATA_DFLAG_NCQ_OFF;
-	if (queue_depth == 1 || !ata_ncq_enabled(dev)) {
+	/*
+	 * Make sure that the queue depth requested does not exceed the device
+	 * capabilities.
+	 */
+	max_queue_depth = min(ATA_MAX_QUEUE, sdev->host->can_queue);
+	max_queue_depth = min(max_queue_depth, ata_id_queue_depth(dev->id));
+	if (queue_depth > max_queue_depth) {
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(ap->lock, flags);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * If NCQ is not supported by the device or if the target queue depth
+	 * is 1 (to disable drive side command queueing), turn off NCQ.
+	 */
+	if (queue_depth == 1 || !ata_ncq_supported(dev)) {
 		dev->flags |= ATA_DFLAG_NCQ_OFF;
 		queue_depth = 1;
+	} else {
+		dev->flags &= ~ATA_DFLAG_NCQ_OFF;
 	}
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(ap->lock, flags);
 
-	/* limit and apply queue depth */
-	queue_depth = min(queue_depth, sdev->host->can_queue);
-	queue_depth = min(queue_depth, ata_id_queue_depth(dev->id));
-	queue_depth = min(queue_depth, ATA_MAX_QUEUE);
-
-	if (sdev->queue_depth == queue_depth)
-		return -EINVAL;
+	if (queue_depth == sdev->queue_depth)
+		return sdev->queue_depth;
 
 	return scsi_change_queue_depth(sdev, queue_depth);
 }