diff --git a/sound/pci/es1968.c b/sound/pci/es1968.c
index 25ccfce45759..7d911a18c082 100644
--- a/sound/pci/es1968.c
+++ b/sound/pci/es1968.c
@@ -617,6 +617,18 @@ static int snd_es1968_ac97_wait(struct es1968 *chip)
 	return 1; /* timeout */
 }
 
+static int snd_es1968_ac97_wait_poll(struct es1968 *chip)
+{
+	int timeout = 100000;
+
+	while (timeout-- > 0) {
+		if (!(inb(chip->io_port + ESM_AC97_INDEX) & 1))
+			return 0;
+	}
+	snd_printd("es1968: ac97 timeout\n");
+	return 1; /* timeout */
+}
+
 static void snd_es1968_ac97_write(struct snd_ac97 *ac97, unsigned short reg, unsigned short val)
 {
 	struct es1968 *chip = ac97->private_data;
@@ -645,7 +657,7 @@ static unsigned short snd_es1968_ac97_read(struct snd_ac97 *ac97, unsigned short
 	outb(reg | 0x80, chip->io_port + ESM_AC97_INDEX);
 	/*msleep(1);*/
 
-	if (! snd_es1968_ac97_wait(chip)) {
+	if (!snd_es1968_ac97_wait_poll(chip)) {
 		data = inw(chip->io_port + ESM_AC97_DATA);
 		/*msleep(1);*/
 	}