diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
index 29215b6d5650..2f7f7cb0bf30 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
@@ -1373,6 +1373,21 @@ void i915_hangcheck_elapsed(unsigned long data)
 	    dev_priv->last_instdone1 == instdone1) {
 		if (dev_priv->hangcheck_count++ > 1) {
 			DRM_ERROR("Hangcheck timer elapsed... GPU hung\n");
+
+			if (!IS_GEN2(dev)) {
+				/* Is the chip hanging on a WAIT_FOR_EVENT?
+				 * If so we can simply poke the RB_WAIT bit
+				 * and break the hang. This should work on
+				 * all but the second generation chipsets.
+				 */
+				u32 tmp = I915_READ(PRB0_CTL);
+				if (tmp & RING_WAIT) {
+					I915_WRITE(PRB0_CTL, tmp);
+					POSTING_READ(PRB0_CTL);
+					goto out;
+				}
+			}
+
 			i915_handle_error(dev, true);
 			return;
 		}
@@ -1384,6 +1399,7 @@ void i915_hangcheck_elapsed(unsigned long data)
 		dev_priv->last_instdone1 = instdone1;
 	}
 
+out:
 	/* Reset timer case chip hangs without another request being added */
 	mod_timer(&dev_priv->hangcheck_timer, jiffies + DRM_I915_HANGCHECK_PERIOD);
 }