diff --git a/apps/main.c b/apps/main.c
index 4249fd0b8b..c4ee45cb89 100644
--- a/apps/main.c
+++ b/apps/main.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 #include "ata.h"
+#include "ata_idle_notify.h"
 #include "disk.h"
 #include "fat.h"
 #include "lcd.h"
@@ -364,6 +365,7 @@ void init(void)
     }
 #endif
 
+    ata_idle_notify_init();
     rc = ata_init();
     if(rc)
     {
diff --git a/apps/playback.c b/apps/playback.c
index 6d277f7153..f8372665a4 100644
--- a/apps/playback.c
+++ b/apps/playback.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 #include "metadata.h"
 #include "splash.h"
 #include "talk.h"
+#include "ata_idle_notify.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_RECORDING
 #include "recording.h"
@@ -118,6 +119,9 @@ enum {
     Q_AUDIO_NEW_PLAYLIST,
     Q_AUDIO_POSTINIT,
     Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER,
+#if MEM > 8
+    Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER_IF_ACTIVE_ATA,
+#endif
 
     Q_CODEC_REQUEST_PENDING,
     Q_CODEC_REQUEST_COMPLETE,
@@ -2664,11 +2668,6 @@ static void audio_fill_file_buffer(
 
         audio_generate_postbuffer_events();
         filling = false;
-
-#ifndef SIMULATOR
-        if (playing)
-            ata_sleep();
-#endif
     }
 
 }
@@ -3228,14 +3227,30 @@ static void audio_playback_init(void)
 
     sound_settings_apply();
 }
+#if MEM > 8
+/* we dont want this rebuffering on targets with little ram
+   because the disk may never spin down */
+bool ata_fillbuffer_callback(void)
+{
+#ifndef IPOD_NANO
+    queue_post(&audio_queue, Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER_IF_ACTIVE_ATA, 0);
+#endif
+    return true;
+}
+#endif
 
 static void audio_thread(void)
 {
     struct event ev;
-
+#if MEM > 8
+    size_t high_watermark;
+#endif
     /* At first initialize audio system in background. */
     audio_playback_init();
-
+#if MEM > 8
+    high_watermark = (3*filebuflen)/4;
+#endif
+    
     while (1) 
     {
         if (filling)
@@ -3244,10 +3259,27 @@ static void audio_thread(void)
             if (ev.id == SYS_TIMEOUT)
                 ev.id = Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER;
         }
+#if MEM > 8
         else
+        {
             queue_wait_w_tmo(&audio_queue, &ev, HZ/2);
-
+            if ( (ev.id == SYS_TIMEOUT) &&
+                (FILEBUFUSED < high_watermark))
+                register_ata_idle_func(ata_fillbuffer_callback);
+        }
+#else
+            queue_wait_w_tmo(&audio_queue, &ev, HZ/2);
+#endif
         switch (ev.id) {
+#if MEM > 8
+            case Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER_IF_ACTIVE_ATA:
+                 /* only fill if the disk is still spining */
+#ifndef SIMULATOR
+                 if (!ata_disk_is_active())
+                    break;
+#endif
+#endif /* MEM > 8 */
+                  /* else fall through to Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER */
             case Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER:
                 LOGFQUEUE("audio < Q_AUDIO_FILL_BUFFER");
                 if (!filling)
diff --git a/firmware/SOURCES b/firmware/SOURCES
index e9ce8f909b..1ec3c82616 100644
--- a/firmware/SOURCES
+++ b/firmware/SOURCES
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ drivers/lcd-h300.c
 drivers/power.c
 #endif
 drivers/led.c
+ata_idle_notify.c
 #ifndef SIMULATOR
 #ifndef TARGET_TREE
 drivers/adc.c
diff --git a/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c b/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a0a56e958b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+/***************************************************************************
+ *             __________               __   ___.
+ *   Open      \______   \ ____   ____ |  | _\_ |__   _______  ___
+ *   Source     |       _//  _ \_/ ___\|  |/ /| __ \ /  _ \  \/  /
+ *   Jukebox    |    |   (  <_> )  \___|    < | \_\ (  <_> > <  <
+ *   Firmware   |____|_  /\____/ \___  >__|_ \|___  /\____/__/\_ \
+ *                     \/            \/     \/    \/            \/
+ * $Id$
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2006 Jonathan Gordon
+ *
+ * All files in this archive are subject to the GNU General Public License.
+ * See the file COPYING in the source tree root for full license agreement.
+ *
+ * This software is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include "system.h"
+#include "ata_idle_notify.h"
+#include "logf.h"
+
+#if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
+static ata_idle_notify ata_idle_notify_funcs[MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS];
+static int ata_callback_count = 0;
+#endif
+
+bool register_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify function)
+{
+#if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
+    int i;
+    for (i=0; i<MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
+    {
+        if (ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] == NULL)
+        {
+            ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = function;
+            ata_callback_count++;
+            return true;
+        }
+        else if (ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] == function)
+            return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+#else
+    function(); /* just call the function now */
+/* this _may_ cause problems later if the calling function
+   sets a variable expecting the callback to unset it, because
+   the callback will be run before this function exits, so before the var is set */
+    return true;
+#endif
+}
+
+#if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
+void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify func)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i=0; i<MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
+    {
+        if (ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] == func)
+        {
+            ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = NULL;
+            ata_callback_count--;
+        }
+    }
+    return;
+}
+
+bool call_ata_idle_notifys(void)
+{
+    int i;
+    ata_idle_notify function;
+    if (ata_callback_count == 0)
+        return false;
+    ata_callback_count = 0; /* so we dont re-enter every time the callbacks read/write */
+    for (i = 0; i < MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
+    {
+        if (ata_idle_notify_funcs[i])
+        {
+            function = ata_idle_notify_funcs[i];
+            ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = NULL;
+            function();
+        }
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
+void ata_idle_notify_init(void)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i=0; i<MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
+    {
+        ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = NULL;
+    }
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata.c b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
index 00ef0e8eb5..249cb3934e 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 #include "power.h"
 #include "string.h"
 #include "hwcompat.h"
-
+#include "ata_idle_notify.h"
 #ifdef TARGET_TREE
 #include "ata-target.h"
 #endif
@@ -1364,6 +1364,7 @@ static void ata_thread(void)
 {
     static long last_sleep = 0;
     struct event ev;
+    static long last_callback_run = 0;
     
     while (1) {
         while ( queue_empty( &ata_queue ) ) {
@@ -1373,8 +1374,16 @@ static void ata_thread(void)
                  TIME_AFTER( current_tick, 
                              last_disk_activity + sleep_timeout ) )
             {
-                ata_perform_sleep();
-                last_sleep = current_tick;
+                if (!call_ata_idle_notifys())
+                {
+                    ata_perform_sleep();
+                    last_sleep = current_tick;
+                }
+            }
+            else if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_callback_run+(HZ*5)))
+            {
+                last_callback_run = current_tick;
+                call_ata_idle_notifys();
             }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_ATA_POWER_OFF
diff --git a/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h b/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5f2a25fd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/***************************************************************************
+ *             __________               __   ___.
+ *   Open      \______   \ ____   ____ |  | _\_ |__   _______  ___
+ *   Source     |       _//  _ \_/ ___\|  |/ /| __ \ /  _ \  \/  /
+ *   Jukebox    |    |   (  <_> )  \___|    < | \_\ (  <_> > <  <
+ *   Firmware   |____|_  /\____/ \___  >__|_ \|___  /\____/__/\_ \
+ *                     \/            \/     \/    \/            \/
+ * $Id$
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2006 Jonathan Gordon
+ *
+ * All files in this archive are subject to the GNU General Public License.
+ * See the file COPYING in the source tree root for full license agreement.
+ *
+ * This software is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+#ifndef __ATACALLBACK_H__
+#define __ATACALLBACK_H__
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#define USING_ATA_CALLBACK  !defined(SIMULATOR)             \
+                            && !defined(HAVE_FLASH_DISK)    \
+                            && !defined(HAVE_MMC)
+                            
+#define MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS 5
+typedef bool (*ata_idle_notify)(void);
+
+extern bool register_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify function);
+#if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
+extern void ata_idle_notify_init(void);
+extern void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify function);
+extern bool call_ata_idle_notifys(void);
+#else
+#define unregister_ata_idle_func(f)
+#define call_ata_idle_notifys()
+#define ata_idle_notify_init()
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __ATACALLBACK_H__ */