diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d0df5dc68..9097f250f 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2009-04-30  David S. Miller  <davem@davemloft.net>
 
+	* util/hostdisk.c (device_is_wholedisk): New function.
+	(grub_util_biosdisk_get_grub_dev): Shortcut when hdg.start is
+	zero only if device_is_wholedisk() returns true.
+
 	* util/hostdisk.c (convert_system_partition_to_system_disk):
 	Handle virtual disk devices named /dev/vdiskX as found on sparc
 	and powerpc.
diff --git a/util/hostdisk.c b/util/hostdisk.c
index af93f9759..eaccb73dc 100644
--- a/util/hostdisk.c
+++ b/util/hostdisk.c
@@ -833,6 +833,16 @@ convert_system_partition_to_system_disk (const char *os_dev)
 #endif
 }
 
+static int
+device_is_wholedisk (const char *os_dev)
+{
+  int len = strlen (os_dev);
+
+  if (os_dev[len - 1] < '0' || os_dev[len - 1] > '9')
+    return 1;
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static int
 find_system_device (const char *os_dev)
 {
@@ -968,7 +978,7 @@ grub_util_biosdisk_get_grub_dev (const char *os_dev)
 
     grub_util_info ("%s starts from %lu", os_dev, hdg.start);
     
-    if (hdg.start == 0)
+    if (hdg.start == 0 && device_is_wholedisk (os_dev))
       return name;
 
     grub_util_info ("opening the device %s", name);