diff --git a/Documentation/aoe/aoe.txt b/Documentation/aoe/aoe.txt
index bfc9cb19abcd56ca23f240c9854f67e0c9f3ec0f..c71487d399d14688206afbe818be88c093ffde29 100644
--- a/Documentation/aoe/aoe.txt
+++ b/Documentation/aoe/aoe.txt
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ DRIVER OPTIONS
   The aoe_deadsecs module parameter determines the maximum number of
   seconds that the driver will wait for an AoE device to provide a
   response to an AoE command.  After aoe_deadsecs seconds have
-  elapsed, the AoE device will be marked as "down".
+  elapsed, the AoE device will be marked as "down".  A value of zero
+  is supported for testing purposes and makes the aoe driver keep
+  trying AoE commands forever.
 
   The aoe_maxout module parameter has a default of 128.  This is the
   maximum number of unresponded packets that will be sent to an AoE
diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
index da360f95c8eaea4cd9cd42baad5e02f1f892708c..abf4ad2d3e185458c4fc4b66b8010ff7e6ac3dcf 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
@@ -812,7 +812,9 @@ rexmit_timer(ulong vp)
 		since = tsince_hr(f);
 		n = f->waited_total + since;
 		n /= USEC_PER_SEC;
-		if (n > aoe_deadsecs && !(f->flags & FFL_PROBE)) {
+		if (aoe_deadsecs
+		&& n > aoe_deadsecs
+		&& !(f->flags & FFL_PROBE)) {
 			/* Waited too long.  Device failure.
 			 * Hang all frames on first hash bucket for downdev
 			 * to clean up.