diff --git a/include/sound/emu10k1.h b/include/sound/emu10k1.h
index 67bf3f18e96a..14cb2718cb77 100644
--- a/include/sound/emu10k1.h
+++ b/include/sound/emu10k1.h
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	unsigned char spk71;        /* Has 7.1 speakers */
 	unsigned char sblive51;	    /* SBLive! 5.1 - extout 0x11 -> center, 0x12 -> lfe */
 	unsigned char spdif_bug;    /* Has Spdif phasing bug */
-	unsigned char ac97_chip;    /* Has an AC97 chip */
+	unsigned char ac97_chip;    /* Has an AC97 chip: 1 = mandatory, 2 = optional */
 	unsigned char ecard;        /* APS EEPROM */
 	const char *driver;
 	const char *name;
diff --git a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emu10k1_main.c b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emu10k1_main.c
index e87e8427f25f..e9cd8e054f25 100644
--- a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emu10k1_main.c
+++ b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emu10k1_main.c
@@ -756,9 +756,12 @@ static emu_chip_details_t emu_chip_details[] = {
 	 .sblive51 = 1} ,
 	/* Tested by alsa bugtrack user "hus" bug #1297 12th Aug 2005 */
 	{.vendor = 0x1102, .device = 0x0002, .subsystem = 0x80611102,
-	 .driver = "EMU10K1", .name = "SBLive! Platinum 5.1 [SB0060]", 
+	 .driver = "EMU10K1", .name = "SBLive 5.1 [SB0060]",
 	 .id = "Live",
 	 .emu10k1_chip = 1,
+	 .ac97_chip = 2, /* ac97 is optional; both SBLive 5.1 and platinum
+			  * share the same IDs!
+			  */
 	 .sblive51 = 1} ,
 	{.vendor = 0x1102, .device = 0x0002, .subsystem = 0x80511102,
 	 .driver = "EMU10K1", .name = "SBLive! Value [CT4850]", 
diff --git a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emumixer.c b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emumixer.c
index d71a72e84bcc..6994f90bb83a 100644
--- a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emumixer.c
+++ b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emumixer.c
@@ -802,8 +802,13 @@ int __devinit snd_emu10k1_mixer(emu10k1_t *emu,
 			.read = snd_emu10k1_ac97_read,
 		};
 
-		if ((err = snd_ac97_bus(emu->card, 0, &ops, NULL, &pbus)) < 0)
-			return err;
+		if ((err = snd_ac97_bus(emu->card, 0, &ops, NULL, &pbus)) < 0) {
+			if (emu->card_capabilities->ac97_chip == 1)
+				return err;
+			snd_printd(KERN_INFO "emu10k1: AC97 is optional on this board\n");
+			snd_printd(KERN_INFO"          Proceeding without ac97 mixers...\n");
+			goto no_ac97; /* FIXME: get rid of ugly gotos.. */
+		}
 		pbus->no_vra = 1; /* we don't need VRA */
 		
 		memset(&ac97, 0, sizeof(ac97));
@@ -836,6 +841,7 @@ int __devinit snd_emu10k1_mixer(emu10k1_t *emu,
 		for (; *c; c++)
 			remove_ctl(card, *c);
 	} else {
+	no_ac97:
 		if (emu->card_capabilities->ecard)
 			strcpy(emu->card->mixername, "EMU APS");
 		else if (emu->audigy)