diff --git a/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_hipd.c b/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_hipd.c
index 463f119f20e9..254bdaeb35ff 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_hipd.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_hipd.c
@@ -2791,7 +2791,7 @@ irqreturn_t sym_interrupt(struct Scsi_Host *shost)
 	istat = INB(np, nc_istat);
 	if (istat & INTF) {
 		OUTB(np, nc_istat, (istat & SIGP) | INTF | np->istat_sem);
-		istat = INB(np, nc_istat);		/* DUMMY READ */
+		istat |= INB(np, nc_istat);		/* DUMMY READ */
 		if (DEBUG_FLAGS & DEBUG_TINY) printf ("F ");
 		sym_wakeup_done(np);
 	}