diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu_init.c b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu_init.c
index e578b296d..99431dc1a 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu_init.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu_init.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2007-2009 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
+ * Copyright 2007-2010 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
  *
  * (C) Copyright 2003 Motorola Inc.
  * Modified by Xianghua Xiao, X.Xiao@motorola.com
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@
 #include <watchdog.h>
 #include <asm/processor.h>
 #include <ioports.h>
+#include <sata.h>
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/mmu.h>
 #include <asm/fsl_law.h>
+#include <asm/fsl_serdes.h>
 #include "mp.h"
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
@@ -418,3 +420,13 @@ void arch_preboot_os(void)
 
 	setup_ivors();
 }
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_SATA) && defined(CONFIG_FSL_SATA)
+int sata_initialize(void)
+{
+	if (is_serdes_configured(SATA1) || is_serdes_configured(SATA2))
+		return __sata_initialize();
+
+	return 1;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/board/freescale/mpc8536ds/mpc8536ds.c b/board/freescale/mpc8536ds/mpc8536ds.c
index 8daa0c359..196810671 100644
--- a/board/freescale/mpc8536ds/mpc8536ds.c
+++ b/board/freescale/mpc8536ds/mpc8536ds.c
@@ -498,17 +498,6 @@ get_board_ddr_clk(ulong dummy)
 }
 #endif
 
-int sata_initialize(void)
-{
-	volatile ccsr_gur_t *gur = (void *)(CONFIG_SYS_MPC85xx_GUTS_ADDR);
-	uint sdrs2_io_sel =
-		(gur->pordevsr & MPC85xx_PORDEVSR_SRDS2_IO_SEL) >> 27;
-	if (sdrs2_io_sel & 0x04)
-		return 1;
-
-	return __sata_initialize();
-}
-
 int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_TSEC_ENET
diff --git a/drivers/block/fsl_sata.c b/drivers/block/fsl_sata.c
index 88785605f..4b97a0e22 100644
--- a/drivers/block/fsl_sata.c
+++ b/drivers/block/fsl_sata.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2008 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2008,2010 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
  *		Dave Liu <daveliu@freescale.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <command.h>
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/processor.h>
+#include <asm/fsl_serdes.h>
 #include <malloc.h>
 #include <libata.h>
 #include <fis.h>
@@ -129,6 +130,17 @@ int init_sata(int dev)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_MPC85xx
+	if ((dev == 0) && (!is_serdes_configured(SATA1))) {
+		printf("SATA%d [dev = %d] is not enabled\n", dev+1, dev);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if ((dev == 1) && (!is_serdes_configured(SATA2))) {
+		printf("SATA%d [dev = %d] is not enabled\n", dev+1, dev);
+		return -1;
+	}
+#endif
+
 	/* Allocate SATA device driver struct */
 	sata = (fsl_sata_t *)malloc(sizeof(fsl_sata_t));
 	if (!sata) {