qc->err_mask &= ~AC_ERR_OTHER;
 
                /* SENSE_VALID trumps dev/unknown error and revalidation */
-               if (qc->flags & ATA_QCFLAG_SENSE_VALID) {
+               if (qc->flags & ATA_QCFLAG_SENSE_VALID)
                        qc->err_mask &= ~(AC_ERR_DEV | AC_ERR_OTHER);
-                       ehc->i.action &= ~ATA_EH_REVALIDATE;
-               }
 
                /* accumulate error info */
                ehc->i.dev = qc->dev;
        if (ap->pflags & ATA_PFLAG_FROZEN ||
            all_err_mask & (AC_ERR_HSM | AC_ERR_TIMEOUT))
                ehc->i.action |= ATA_EH_SOFTRESET;
-       else if (all_err_mask)
+       else if ((is_io && all_err_mask) ||
+                (!is_io && (all_err_mask & ~AC_ERR_DEV)))
                ehc->i.action |= ATA_EH_REVALIDATE;
 
        /* if we have offending qcs and the associated failed device */
                        /* FIXME: Once EH migration is complete,
                         * generate sense data in this function,
                         * considering both err_mask and tf.
+                        *
+                        * There's no point in retrying invalid
+                        * (detected by libata) and non-IO device
+                        * errors (rejected by device).  Finish them
+                        * immediately.
                         */
-                       if (qc->err_mask & AC_ERR_INVALID)
+                       if ((qc->err_mask & AC_ERR_INVALID) ||
+                           (!(qc->flags & ATA_QCFLAG_IO) &&
+                            qc->err_mask == AC_ERR_DEV))
                                ata_eh_qc_complete(qc);
                        else
                                ata_eh_qc_retry(qc);
 
        unsigned int err_mask, action;
        const char *desc;
 } sil24_cerr_db[] = {
-       [0]                     = { AC_ERR_DEV, ATA_EH_REVALIDATE,
+       [0]                     = { AC_ERR_DEV, 0,
                                    "device error" },
-       [PORT_CERR_DEV]         = { AC_ERR_DEV, ATA_EH_REVALIDATE,
+       [PORT_CERR_DEV]         = { AC_ERR_DEV, 0,
                                    "device error via D2H FIS" },
-       [PORT_CERR_SDB]         = { AC_ERR_DEV, ATA_EH_REVALIDATE,
+       [PORT_CERR_SDB]         = { AC_ERR_DEV, 0,
                                    "device error via SDB FIS" },
        [PORT_CERR_DATA]        = { AC_ERR_ATA_BUS, ATA_EH_SOFTRESET,
                                    "error in data FIS" },