int attentions, waits, max_wait, scode;
        int retval = CHKRES_READY, new_session = 0;
        unsigned char cmd[MAX_COMMAND_SIZE];
-       struct st_request *SRpnt = NULL;
+       struct st_request *SRpnt;
        struct st_cmdstatus *cmdstatp = &STp->buffer->cmdstat;
 
+       SRpnt = st_allocate_request(STp);
+       if (!SRpnt)
+               return STp->buffer->syscall_result;
+
        max_wait = do_wait ? ST_BLOCK_SECONDS : 0;
 
        for (attentions=waits=0; ; ) {
                memset((void *) &cmd[0], 0, MAX_COMMAND_SIZE);
                cmd[0] = TEST_UNIT_READY;
-               SRpnt = st_do_scsi(SRpnt, STp, cmd, 0, DMA_NONE,
-                                  STp->long_timeout, MAX_READY_RETRIES, 1);
 
-               if (!SRpnt) {
-                       retval = (STp->buffer)->syscall_result;
+               retval = st_scsi_kern_execute(SRpnt, cmd, DMA_NONE, NULL, 0,
+                                             STp->long_timeout,
+                                             MAX_READY_RETRIES);
+               if (retval)
                        break;
-               }
 
                if (cmdstatp->have_sense) {
 
                break;
        }
 
-       if (SRpnt != NULL)
-               st_release_request(SRpnt);
+       st_release_request(SRpnt);
+
        return retval;
 }