#define KEY_COUNT_KEY          "#KEY" /* r-o ui32 */
 
-#define LIGHT_SENSOR_LEFT_KEY  "ALV0" /* r-o {alv (6 bytes) */
-#define LIGHT_SENSOR_RIGHT_KEY "ALV1" /* r-o {alv (6 bytes) */
+#define LIGHT_SENSOR_LEFT_KEY  "ALV0" /* r-o {alv (6-10 bytes) */
+#define LIGHT_SENSOR_RIGHT_KEY "ALV1" /* r-o {alv (6-10 bytes) */
 #define BACKLIGHT_KEY          "LKSB" /* w-o {lkb (2 bytes) */
 
 #define CLAMSHELL_KEY          "MSLD" /* r-o ui8 (unused) */
 static ssize_t applesmc_light_show(struct device *dev,
                                struct device_attribute *attr, char *sysfsbuf)
 {
+       static int data_length;
        int ret;
        u8 left = 0, right = 0;
-       u8 buffer[6];
+       u8 buffer[10], query[6];
 
        mutex_lock(&applesmc_lock);
 
-       ret = applesmc_read_key(LIGHT_SENSOR_LEFT_KEY, buffer, 6);
+       if (!data_length) {
+               ret = applesmc_get_key_type(LIGHT_SENSOR_LEFT_KEY, query);
+               if (ret)
+                       goto out;
+               data_length = clamp_val(query[0], 0, 10);
+               printk(KERN_INFO "applesmc: light sensor data length set to "
+                       "%d\n", data_length);
+       }
+
+       ret = applesmc_read_key(LIGHT_SENSOR_LEFT_KEY, buffer, data_length);
        left = buffer[2];
        if (ret)
                goto out;
-       ret = applesmc_read_key(LIGHT_SENSOR_RIGHT_KEY, buffer, 6);
+       ret = applesmc_read_key(LIGHT_SENSOR_RIGHT_KEY, buffer, data_length);
        right = buffer[2];
 
 out: