diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c b/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
index cdf6215a9a22b..608677df4f49d 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-sff.c
@@ -1296,7 +1296,8 @@ int ata_sff_hsm_move(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_queued_cmd *qc,
 		break;
 	default:
 		poll_next = 0;
-		BUG();
+		WARN(true, "ata%d: SFF host state machine in invalid state %d",
+		     ap->print_id, ap->hsm_task_state);
 	}
 
 	return poll_next;