diff --git a/drivers/block/nvme.c b/drivers/block/nvme.c
index bcc780ac4ec0..57f2b33a47dd 100644
--- a/drivers/block/nvme.c
+++ b/drivers/block/nvme.c
@@ -893,6 +893,8 @@ static int __devinit nvme_configure_admin_queue(struct nvme_dev *dev)
 {
 	int result;
 	u32 aqa;
+	u64 cap;
+	unsigned long timeout;
 	struct nvme_queue *nvmeq;
 
 	dev->dbs = ((void __iomem *)dev->bar) + 4096;
@@ -915,10 +917,18 @@ static int __devinit nvme_configure_admin_queue(struct nvme_dev *dev)
 	writeq(nvmeq->cq_dma_addr, &dev->bar->acq);
 	writel(dev->ctrl_config, &dev->bar->cc);
 
+	cap = readq(&dev->bar->cap);
+	timeout = ((NVME_CAP_TIMEOUT(cap) + 1) * HZ / 2) + jiffies;
+
 	while (!(readl(&dev->bar->csts) & NVME_CSTS_RDY)) {
 		msleep(100);
 		if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
 			return -EINTR;
+		if (time_after(jiffies, timeout)) {
+			dev_err(&dev->pci_dev->dev,
+				"Device not ready; aborting initialisation\n");
+			return -ENODEV;
+		}
 	}
 
 	result = queue_request_irq(dev, nvmeq, "nvme admin");
diff --git a/include/linux/nvme.h b/include/linux/nvme.h
index 9d6febb91521..a19304fefa7d 100644
--- a/include/linux/nvme.h
+++ b/include/linux/nvme.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ struct nvme_bar {
 	__u64			acq;	/* Admin CQ Base Address */
 };
 
+#define NVME_CAP_TIMEOUT(cap)	(((cap) >> 24) & 0xff)
+
 enum {
 	NVME_CC_ENABLE		= 1 << 0,
 	NVME_CC_CSS_NVM		= 0 << 4,