diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index febfd62c37..7c577fa544 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2352,9 +2352,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     char boot_devices[33] = "cad"; /* default to HD->floppy->CD-ROM */
     DisplayState *ds;
     DisplayChangeListener *dcl;
-    char hdachs_params[512];  /* save -hdachs to apply to later -hda */
-    QemuOpts *hda_opts = NULL; /* save -hda to be modified by later -hdachs */
-    QemuOpts *opts, *machine_opts;
+    int cyls, heads, secs, translation;
+    QemuOpts *hda_opts = NULL, *opts, *machine_opts;
     QemuOptsList *olist;
     int optind;
     const char *optarg;
@@ -2409,7 +2408,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     cpu_model = NULL;
     ram_size = 0;
     snapshot = 0;
-    snprintf(hdachs_params, sizeof(hdachs_params), "%s", HD_OPTS);
+    cyls = heads = secs = 0;
+    translation = BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_AUTO;
 
     for (i = 0; i < MAX_NODES; i++) {
         node_mem[i] = 0;
@@ -2457,7 +2457,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         if (optind >= argc)
             break;
         if (argv[optind][0] != '-') {
-            hda_opts = drive_add(IF_DEFAULT, 0, argv[optind++], hdachs_params);
+	    hda_opts = drive_add(IF_DEFAULT, 0, argv[optind++], HD_OPTS);
         } else {
             const QEMUOption *popt;
 
@@ -2475,8 +2475,21 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 cpu_model = optarg;
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_hda:
-                hda_opts = drive_add(IF_DEFAULT, 0, optarg, hdachs_params);
-                break;
+                {
+                    char buf[256];
+                    if (cyls == 0)
+                        snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s", HD_OPTS);
+                    else
+                        snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf),
+                                 "%s,cyls=%d,heads=%d,secs=%d%s",
+                                 HD_OPTS , cyls, heads, secs,
+                                 translation == BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_LBA ?
+                                 ",trans=lba" :
+                                 translation == BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_NONE ?
+                                 ",trans=none" : "");
+                    drive_add(IF_DEFAULT, 0, optarg, buf);
+                    break;
+                }
             case QEMU_OPTION_hdb:
             case QEMU_OPTION_hdc:
             case QEMU_OPTION_hdd:
@@ -2510,10 +2523,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_hdachs:
                 {
-                    int cyls, heads, secs, translation;
                     const char *p;
-                    cyls = heads = secs = 0;
-                    translation = BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_AUTO;
                     p = optarg;
                     cyls = strtol(p, (char **)&p, 0);
                     if (cyls < 1 || cyls > 16383)
@@ -2545,14 +2555,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                         fprintf(stderr, "qemu: invalid physical CHS format\n");
                         exit(1);
                     }
-                    snprintf(hdachs_params, sizeof(hdachs_params),
-                             "%s,cyls=%d,heads=%d,secs=%d%s",
-                             HD_OPTS , cyls, heads, secs,
-                             translation == BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_LBA ?
-                             ",trans=lba" :
-                             translation == BIOS_ATA_TRANSLATION_NONE ?
-                             ",trans=none" : "");
-                    if (hda_opts != NULL) {
+		    if (hda_opts != NULL) {
                         char num[16];
                         snprintf(num, sizeof(num), "%d", cyls);
                         qemu_opt_set(hda_opts, "cyls", num);