static struct ata_queued_cmd *ata_qc_new(struct ata_port *ap)
 {
        struct ata_queued_cmd *qc = NULL;
-       unsigned int i;
+       unsigned int i, tag;
 
        /* no command while frozen */
        if (unlikely(ap->pflags & ATA_PFLAG_FROZEN))
                return NULL;
 
-       /* the last tag is reserved for internal command. */
-       for (i = 0; i < ATA_MAX_QUEUE - 1; i++)
-               if (!test_and_set_bit(i, &ap->qc_allocated)) {
-                       qc = __ata_qc_from_tag(ap, i);
+       for (i = 0; i < ATA_MAX_QUEUE; i++) {
+               tag = (i + ap->last_tag + 1) % ATA_MAX_QUEUE;
+
+               /* the last tag is reserved for internal command. */
+               if (tag == ATA_TAG_INTERNAL)
+                       continue;
+
+               if (!test_and_set_bit(tag, &ap->qc_allocated)) {
+                       qc = __ata_qc_from_tag(ap, tag);
+                       qc->tag = tag;
+                       ap->last_tag = tag;
                        break;
                }
-
-       if (qc)
-               qc->tag = i;
+       }
 
        return qc;
 }
 
        unsigned long           qc_allocated;
        unsigned int            qc_active;
        int                     nr_active_links; /* #links with active qcs */
+       unsigned int            last_tag;       /* track next tag hw expects */
 
        struct ata_link         link;           /* host default link */
        struct ata_link         *slave_link;    /* see ata_slave_link_init() */