--- ./src/kbdrate.c.bad	2008-03-02 20:03:37 +0100
+++ ./src/kbdrate.c	2008-03-02 20:19:07 +0100
@@ -302,6 +302,12 @@
 			perror( "read" );
 			exit( 1 );
 		}
+		if ((unsigned char)data == 0xFF) {
+			alarm( 0 );
+			fprintf( stderr,
+			         "kbdrate: kbd controller not present!\n" );
+			exit( 1 );
+		}
 	} while ((data & 2) == 2 );  /* wait */
 
 	lseek( fd, 0x60, 0 );