diff --git a/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.cpp b/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.cpp
index c0377a4..e831921 100644
--- a/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.cpp
+++ b/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ AtaBaseDevice::AtaBaseDevice(const std::string name)
     device_reset();
 }
 
-void AtaBaseDevice::device_reset()
+void AtaBaseDevice::device_reset(const uint8_t dev_head_val)
 {
     this->r_error = 1; // Device 0 passed, Device 1 passed or not present
 
@@ -46,11 +46,17 @@ void AtaBaseDevice::device_reset()
     this->r_sect_num   = 1;
     this->r_dev_ctrl   = 0;
 
-    // set ATA protocol signature
-    this->r_cylinder_lo = 0;
-    this->r_cylinder_hi = 0;
-    this->r_dev_head    = 0; // TODO: ATAPI devices shouldn't change this reg!
-    this->r_status = DRDY | DSC;
+    // set protocol signature
+    if (this->device_type == DEVICE_TYPE_ATAPI) {
+        this->r_cylinder_lo = 0x14;
+        this->r_cylinder_hi = 0xEB;
+        this->r_dev_head    = dev_head_val;
+    } else { // assume ATA by default
+        this->r_cylinder_lo = 0;
+        this->r_cylinder_hi = 0;
+        this->r_dev_head    = 0;
+        this->r_status = DRDY | DSC;
+    }
 }
 
 uint16_t AtaBaseDevice::read(const uint8_t reg_addr) {
diff --git a/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.h b/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.h
index 25a782a..687746e 100644
--- a/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.h
+++ b/devices/common/ata/atabasedevice.h
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@ public:
 
     int get_device_id() { return this->my_dev_id; };
 
-    void device_reset();
+    void device_reset(const uint8_t dev_head_val = 0);
 
 private:
     bool is_selected() { return ((this->r_dev_head >> 4) & 1) == this->my_dev_id; };
 
 protected:
     uint8_t my_dev_id = 0; // my IDE device ID configured by the host
+    uint8_t device_type = ata_interface::DEVICE_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
 
     // IDE aka task file registers
     uint8_t r_error;
diff --git a/devices/common/ata/atadefs.h b/devices/common/ata/atadefs.h
index c7192dc..a75fd88 100644
--- a/devices/common/ata/atadefs.h
+++ b/devices/common/ata/atadefs.h
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ enum {
     DEVICE_ID_ONE       = 1
 };
 
+/** Device types. */
+enum {
+    DEVICE_TYPE_UNKNOWN = -1,
+    DEVICE_TYPE_ATA     = 0,
+    DEVICE_TYPE_ATAPI   = 1,
+};
+
 /** ATA register offsets. */
 enum ATA_Reg : int {
     DATA        = 0x0,
@@ -49,7 +56,7 @@ enum ATA_Reg : int {
     COMMAND     = 0x7,    // command (write)
     ALT_STATUS  = 0x16,   // alt status (read)
     DEV_CTRL    = 0x16,   // device control (write)
-    TIME_CONFIG = 0x20
+    TIME_CONFIG = 0x20    // Apple ASIC specific timing configuration
 };
 
 /** Status register bits. */
diff --git a/devices/common/ata/atahd.cpp b/devices/common/ata/atahd.cpp
index 9cbd8e7..6c89ded 100644
--- a/devices/common/ata/atahd.cpp
+++ b/devices/common/ata/atahd.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void AtaHardDisk::insert_image(std::string filename) {
     if (!rc) {
         this->img_size = stat_buf.st_size;
     } else {
-        ABORT_F("ScsiHardDisk: could not determine file size using stat()");
+        ABORT_F("AtaHardDisk: could not determine file size using stat()");
     }
     this->hdd_img.seekg(0, std::ios_base::beg);
 }
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ int AtaHardDisk::perform_command()
     LOG_F(INFO, "%s: command 0x%x requested", this->name.c_str(), this->r_command);
     this->r_status |= BSY;
     this->r_status &= ~(DRDY);
-    switch (this->r_command) { 
+    switch (this->r_command) {
         case NOP:
             break;
         case RESET_ATAPI: {