diff --git a/hw/ide/core.c b/hw/ide/core.c
index e1433b2b2e..aeff0344a9 100644
--- a/hw/ide/core.c
+++ b/hw/ide/core.c
@@ -1942,28 +1942,29 @@ void ide_ioport_write(void *opaque, uint32_t addr, uint32_t val)
                 break;
             case 0x03: { /* set transfer mode */
 		uint8_t val = s->nsector & 0x07;
+                uint16_t *identify_data = (uint16_t *)s->identify_data;
 
 		switch (s->nsector >> 3) {
 		    case 0x00: /* pio default */
 		    case 0x01: /* pio mode */
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 62,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 63,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 88,0x3f);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 62,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 63,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 88,0x3f);
 			break;
                     case 0x02: /* sigle word dma mode*/
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 62,0x07 | (1 << (val + 8)));
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 63,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 88,0x3f);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 62,0x07 | (1 << (val + 8)));
+			put_le16(identify_data + 63,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 88,0x3f);
 			break;
 		    case 0x04: /* mdma mode */
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 62,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 63,0x07 | (1 << (val + 8)));
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 88,0x3f);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 62,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 63,0x07 | (1 << (val + 8)));
+			put_le16(identify_data + 88,0x3f);
 			break;
 		    case 0x08: /* udma mode */
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 62,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 63,0x07);
-			put_le16(s->identify_data + 88,0x3f | (1 << (val + 8)));
+			put_le16(identify_data + 62,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 63,0x07);
+			put_le16(identify_data + 88,0x3f | (1 << (val + 8)));
 			break;
 		    default:
 			goto abort_cmd;
diff --git a/hw/ide/internal.h b/hw/ide/internal.h
index 2e40431104..c55fa52b3b 100644
--- a/hw/ide/internal.h
+++ b/hw/ide/internal.h
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ struct IDEState {
     int64_t nb_sectors;
     int mult_sectors;
     int identify_set;
-    uint16_t identify_data[256];
+    uint8_t identify_data[512];
     int drive_serial;
     char drive_serial_str[21];
     /* ide regs */