diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
index 16fa45755c18..ed16fbedaabd 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
@@ -2883,8 +2883,17 @@ int ata_eh_reset(struct ata_link *link, int classify,
 	    sata_scr_read(link, SCR_STATUS, &sstatus))
 		rc = -ERESTART;
 
-	if (rc == -ERESTART || try >= max_tries)
+	if (rc == -ERESTART || try >= max_tries) {
+		/*
+		 * Thaw host port even if reset failed, so that the port
+		 * can be retried on the next phy event.  This risks
+		 * repeated EH runs but seems to be a better tradeoff than
+		 * shutting down a port after a botched hotplug attempt.
+		 */
+		if (ata_is_host_link(link))
+			ata_eh_thaw_port(ap);
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	now = jiffies;
 	if (time_before(now, deadline)) {