static int get_key_haup_xvr(struct IR_i2c *ir, u32 *ir_key, u32 *ir_raw)
 {
+       int ret;
+       unsigned char buf[1] = { 0 };
+
+       /*
+        * This is the same apparent "are you ready?" poll command observed
+        * watching Windows driver traffic and implemented in lirc_zilog. With
+        * this added, we get far saner remote behavior with z8 chips on usb
+        * connected devices, even with the default polling interval of 100ms.
+        */
+       ret = i2c_master_send(ir->c, buf, 1);
+       if (ret != 1)
+               return (ret < 0) ? ret : -EINVAL;
+
        return get_key_haup_common (ir, ir_key, ir_raw, 6, 3);
 }
 
 
                init_data->internal_get_key_func = IR_KBD_GET_KEY_HAUP_XVR;
                init_data->type                  = RC_TYPE_RC5;
                init_data->name                  = hdw->hdw_desc->description;
-               init_data->polling_interval      = 260; /* ms From lirc_zilog */
                /* IR Receiver */
                info.addr          = 0x71;
                info.platform_data = init_data;