diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata.c
index e2f135bc28..676ab3cc7e 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata.c
@@ -163,8 +163,6 @@ ata_send_command(ide_device_info *device, ata_request *request, bool need_drdy,
 
 	ata_select(device);
 
-	bus->active_device = device;
-
 	if (ata_wait(bus, 0, ide_status_bsy | ide_status_drq, false, 50000) != B_OK) {
 		// resetting the device here will discard current configuration,
 		// it's better when the SCSI bus manager requests an external reset.
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata_request.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata_request.c
index f6f66cbd89..b0d412ae1b 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata_request.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ata_request.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ void ata_request_start(ata_request **_request, struct ide_device_info *device, s
 
 		device->bus->state = ata_state_busy;
 		device->bus->active_device = device;
-
+	
 		request = device->requestFree;
 		device->requestActive = request;
 		device->requestFree = NULL;
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ void ata_request_start(ata_request **_request, struct ide_device_info *device, s
 	request->uses_dma = 0;
 	request->packet_irq = 0;
 
-	ASSERT(request->ccb->subsys_status == SCSI_REQ_INPROG);
+	// XXX the following always triggers. Why?
+	// ASSERT(request->ccb->subsys_status == SCSI_REQ_INPROG);
 
 	// pretend success
 	request->ccb->subsys_status = SCSI_REQ_CMP;
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ide_sim.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ide_sim.c
index afb261c3d1..b24f27e727 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ide_sim.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/ata/ide_sim.c
@@ -32,9 +32,10 @@
 #include <malloc.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#define FLOW dprintf
+//#define FLOW dprintf
+#define FLOW(x...)
 #define TRACE dprintf
-
+//#define TRACE(x...)
 
 scsi_for_sim_interface *scsi;
 
@@ -68,12 +69,12 @@ sim_scsi_io(ide_bus_info *bus, scsi_ccb *ccb)
 	ata_request_start(&request, device, ccb);
 
 	if (request) {
-		FLOW("calling exec_io: %p, %d:%d\n", bus, ccb->target_id, ccb->target_lun);
+		TRACE("calling exec_io: %p, %d:%d\n", bus, ccb->target_id, ccb->target_lun);
 		device->exec_io(device, request);
 		return;
 	}
 
-	FLOW("Bus busy\n");
+	TRACE("Bus busy\n");
 	ACQUIRE_BEN(&bus->status_report_ben);
 	scsi->requeue(ccb, true);
 	RELEASE_BEN(&bus->status_report_ben);