diff --git a/include/linux/blk_types.h b/include/linux/blk_types.h
index 1c8a8a2aedf7..91072b68dc38 100644
--- a/include/linux/blk_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/blk_types.h
@@ -20,8 +20,13 @@ typedef void (bio_end_io_t) (struct bio *);
 
 /*
  * Block error status values.  See block/blk-core:blk_errors for the details.
+ * Alpha cannot write a byte atomically, so we need to use 32-bit value.
  */
+#if defined(CONFIG_ALPHA) && !defined(__alpha_bwx__)
+typedef u32 __bitwise blk_status_t;
+#else
 typedef u8 __bitwise blk_status_t;
+#endif
 #define	BLK_STS_OK 0
 #define BLK_STS_NOTSUPP		((__force blk_status_t)1)
 #define BLK_STS_TIMEOUT		((__force blk_status_t)2)