diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
index ec3ce120a517..89fd0e9ed746 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
@@ -7178,6 +7178,10 @@ int ata_host_register(struct ata_host *host, struct scsi_host_template *sht)
  *	request IRQ and register it.  This helper takes necessasry
  *	arguments and performs the three steps in one go.
  *
+ *	An invalid IRQ skips the IRQ registration and expects the host to
+ *	have set polling mode on the port. In this case, @irq_handler
+ *	should be NULL.
+ *
  *	LOCKING:
  *	Inherited from calling layer (may sleep).
  *
@@ -7194,6 +7198,12 @@ int ata_host_activate(struct ata_host *host, int irq,
 	if (rc)
 		return rc;
 
+	/* Special case for polling mode */
+	if (!irq) {
+		WARN_ON(irq_handler);
+		return ata_host_register(host, sht);
+	}
+
 	rc = devm_request_irq(host->dev, irq, irq_handler, irq_flags,
 			      dev_driver_string(host->dev), host);
 	if (rc)