diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata.c b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
index 2140456e6b..4780cf5c0f 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
@@ -1351,20 +1351,6 @@ int ata_init(void)
 
         DEBUGF("ata: %d sectors per ata request\n",multisectors);
 
-#ifdef MAX_PHYS_SECTOR_SIZE
-        /* Find out the physical sector size */
-        if((identify_info[106] & 0xe000) == 0x6000)
-            phys_sector_mult = BIT_N(identify_info[106] & 0x000f);
-        else
-            phys_sector_mult = 1;
-
-        DEBUGF("ata: %d logical sectors per phys sector", phys_sector_mult);
-
-        if (phys_sector_mult > (MAX_PHYS_SECTOR_SIZE/SECTOR_SIZE))
-            panicf("Unsupported physical sector size: %d",
-                   phys_sector_mult * SECTOR_SIZE);
-#endif
-
         total_sectors = identify_info[60] | (identify_info[61] << 16);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LBA48
@@ -1387,6 +1373,32 @@ int ata_init(void)
         if (rc)
             return -60 + rc;
 
+#ifdef MAX_PHYS_SECTOR_SIZE
+        /* Find out the physical sector size */
+        if((identify_info[106] & 0xe000) == 0x6000)
+            phys_sector_mult = BIT_N(identify_info[106] & 0x000f);
+        else
+            phys_sector_mult = 1;
+
+        DEBUGF("ata: %d logical sectors per phys sector", phys_sector_mult);
+
+        if (phys_sector_mult > 1)
+        {
+            /* Check if drive really needs emulation  - if we can access
+             * sector 1 then assume the drive will handle it better than
+             * us, and ignore the large physical sectors.
+             */
+            char throwaway[SECTOR_SIZE];
+            rc = ata_transfer_sectors(1, 1, &throwaway, false);
+            if (rc == 0)
+                phys_sector_mult = 1;
+        }
+ 
+        if (phys_sector_mult > (MAX_PHYS_SECTOR_SIZE/SECTOR_SIZE))
+            panicf("Unsupported physical sector size: %d",
+                   phys_sector_mult * SECTOR_SIZE);
+#endif
+
         mutex_lock(&ata_mtx); /* Balance unlock below */
 
         last_disk_activity = current_tick;