diff --git a/apps/playback.c b/apps/playback.c
index f4274a8f02..c0558ed737 100644
--- a/apps/playback.c
+++ b/apps/playback.c
@@ -2781,6 +2781,7 @@ static void audio_fill_file_buffer(
         filling = false;
     }
 
+    ata_sleep();
 }
 
 static void audio_rebuffer(void)
diff --git a/apps/settings.c b/apps/settings.c
index ec96cc760b..08e6376694 100644
--- a/apps/settings.c
+++ b/apps/settings.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "talk.h"
 #include "string.h"
 #include "ata.h"
+#include "ata_idle_notify.h"
 #include "fat.h"
 #include "power.h"
 #include "powermgmt.h"
@@ -802,6 +803,11 @@ static void init_config_buffer( void )
     config_block[3] = CONFIG_BLOCK_VERSION;
 }
 
+bool flush_config_block_callback(void)
+{
+    ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(0,) config_sector, 1, config_block);
+    return true;
+}
 /*
  * save the config block buffer to disk or RTC RAM
  */
@@ -833,7 +839,7 @@ static int save_config_buffer( void )
 #endif
 
     if (config_sector != 0)
-        ata_delayed_write( config_sector, config_block);
+        register_ata_idle_func(flush_config_block_callback);
     else
         return -1;
 
diff --git a/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c b/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c
index a0a56e958b..c51c3800ce 100644
--- a/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c
+++ b/firmware/ata_idle_notify.c
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
  ****************************************************************************/
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include "system.h"
+#include "ata.h"
 #include "ata_idle_notify.h"
 #include "logf.h"
+#include "string.h"
 
 #if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
 static ata_idle_notify ata_idle_notify_funcs[MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS];
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ bool register_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify function)
 }
 
 #if USING_ATA_CALLBACK
-void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify func)
+void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify func, bool run)
 {
     int i;
     for (i=0; i<MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
@@ -61,12 +63,13 @@ void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify func)
         {
             ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = NULL;
             ata_callback_count--;
+            if (run) func();
         }
     }
     return;
 }
 
-bool call_ata_idle_notifys(void)
+bool call_ata_idle_notifys(bool sleep_after)
 {
     int i;
     ata_idle_notify function;
@@ -82,15 +85,14 @@ bool call_ata_idle_notifys(void)
             function();
         }
     }
+    if (sleep_after)
+        ata_sleep();
     return true;
 }
 
 void ata_idle_notify_init(void)
 {
-    int i;
-    for (i=0; i<MAX_ATA_CALLBACKS; i++)
-    {
-        ata_idle_notify_funcs[i] = NULL;
-    }
+    ata_callback_count = 0;
+    memset(ata_idle_notify_funcs, 0, sizeof(ata_idle_notify_funcs));
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata.c b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
index 0a03fd2a25..9e20bfb87d 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
@@ -239,9 +239,6 @@ static long ata_stack[DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE/sizeof(long)];
 static const char ata_thread_name[] = "ata";
 static struct event_queue ata_queue;
 static bool initialized = false;
-static bool delayed_write = false;
-static unsigned char delayed_sector[SECTOR_SIZE];
-static int delayed_sector_num;
 
 static long last_user_activity = -1;
 long last_disk_activity = -1;
@@ -804,10 +801,6 @@ int ata_read_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
 
     mutex_unlock(&ata_mtx);
 
-    /* only flush if reading went ok */
-    if ( (ret == 0) && delayed_write )
-        ata_flush();
-
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1229,34 +1222,9 @@ int ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
 
     mutex_unlock(&ata_mtx);
 
-    /* only flush if writing went ok */
-    if ( (ret == 0) && delayed_write )
-        ata_flush();
-
     return ret;
 }
 
-/* schedule a single sector write, executed with the the next spinup 
-   (volume 0 only, used for config sector) */
-extern void ata_delayed_write(unsigned long sector, const void* buf)
-{
-    memcpy(delayed_sector, buf, SECTOR_SIZE);
-    delayed_sector_num = sector;
-    delayed_write = true;
-}
-
-/* write the delayed sector to volume 0 */
-extern void ata_flush(void)
-{
-    if ( delayed_write ) {
-        DEBUGF("ata_flush()\n");
-        delayed_write = false;
-        ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(0,) delayed_sector_num, 1, delayed_sector);
-    }
-}
-
-
-
 static int check_registers(void)
 {
 #if (CONFIG_CPU == PP5002)
@@ -1364,28 +1332,31 @@ static void ata_thread(void)
 {
     static long last_sleep = 0;
     struct event ev;
-    static long last_callback_run = 0;
+    static long last_seen_mtx_unlock = 0;
     
     while (1) {
         while ( queue_empty( &ata_queue ) ) {
             if (!spinup && !sleeping)
             {
+                if (!ata_mtx.locked)
+                {
+                    if (!last_seen_mtx_unlock)
+                        last_seen_mtx_unlock = current_tick;
+                    if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_seen_mtx_unlock+(HZ*2)))
+                    {
+                        call_ata_idle_notifys(false);
+                        last_seen_mtx_unlock = 0;
+                    }
+                }
                 if ( sleep_timeout &&
                      TIME_AFTER( current_tick, 
                                 last_user_activity + sleep_timeout ) &&
                      TIME_AFTER( current_tick, 
                                 last_disk_activity + sleep_timeout ) )
                 {
-                    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();
+                    call_ata_idle_notifys(false);
+                    ata_perform_sleep();
+                    last_sleep = current_tick;
                 }
             }
 #ifdef HAVE_ATA_POWER_OFF
@@ -1403,8 +1374,10 @@ static void ata_thread(void)
         }
         queue_wait(&ata_queue, &ev);
         switch ( ev.id ) {
-#ifndef USB_NONE
+            case SYS_POWEROFF:
             case SYS_USB_CONNECTED:
+                call_ata_idle_notifys(false);
+#ifndef USB_NONE
                 if (poweroff) {
                     mutex_lock(&ata_mtx);
                     ata_led(true);
@@ -1419,11 +1392,13 @@ static void ata_thread(void)
 
                 /* Wait until the USB cable is extracted again */
                 usb_wait_for_disconnect(&ata_queue);
-                break;
 #endif
+                break;
             case Q_SLEEP:
+                call_ata_idle_notifys(true);
                 last_disk_activity = current_tick - sleep_timeout + (HZ/2);
                 break;
+                
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c b/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
index 6303ca2851..64a7ba4bfd 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
@@ -98,9 +98,6 @@ static bool mmc_monitor_enabled = true;
 #endif
 static bool initialized = false;
 static bool new_mmc_circuit;
-static bool delayed_write = false;
-static unsigned char delayed_sector[SECTOR_SIZE];
-static int delayed_sector_num;
 
 static enum {
     MMC_UNKNOWN,
@@ -805,10 +802,6 @@ int ata_read_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
 
     deselect_card();
     
-    /* only flush if reading went ok */
-    if ( (rc == 0) && delayed_write )
-        ata_flush();
-
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -960,33 +953,9 @@ int ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
 
     deselect_card();
 
-    /* only flush if writing went ok */
-    if ( (rc == 0) && delayed_write )
-        ata_flush();
-
     return rc;
 }
 
-/* While there is no spinup, the delayed write is still here to avoid
-   wearing the flash unnecessarily */
-extern void ata_delayed_write(unsigned long sector, const void* buf)
-{
-    memcpy(delayed_sector, buf, SECTOR_SIZE);
-    delayed_sector_num = sector;
-    delayed_write = true;
-}
-
-/* write the delayed sector to volume 0 */
-extern void ata_flush(void)
-{
-    if ( delayed_write ) 
-    {
-        DEBUGF("ata_flush()\n");
-        delayed_write = false;
-        ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(0,) delayed_sector_num, 1, delayed_sector);
-    }
-}
-
 void ata_spindown(int seconds)
 {
     (void)seconds;
diff --git a/firmware/export/ata.h b/firmware/export/ata.h
index 83124c6bfa..c2ba974544 100644
--- a/firmware/export/ata.h
+++ b/firmware/export/ata.h
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ extern int ata_soft_reset(void);
 extern int ata_init(void);
 extern int ata_read_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,) unsigned long start, int count, void* buf);
 extern int ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,) unsigned long start, int count, const void* buf);
-extern void ata_delayed_write(unsigned long sector, const void* buf);
-extern void ata_flush(void);
 extern void ata_spin(void);
 #if CONFIG_LED == LED_REAL
 extern void ata_set_led_enabled(bool enabled);
diff --git a/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h b/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h
index f5f2a25fd9..491a612bdd 100644
--- a/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h
+++ b/firmware/export/ata_idle_notify.h
@@ -20,22 +20,36 @@
 #define __ATACALLBACK_H__
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+
+#if 0
+                NOTE: ata_idle_nofity usage notes..
+                
+        1) the callbacks are called in the ata thread, not main/your thread.
+        2) Asyncronous callbacks (like the buffer refill) should be avoided.
+            If you must use an async callback, remember to check ata_is_active() before
+            accessing the disk, and nonot call any functions between that check and the
+            disk access which may cause a yield (lcd_update() does this!)
+        3) Do not call cany yielding functions in the callback
+        4) Do not call ata_sleep in the callbacks
+        5) Dont Panic!
+#endif
+
 #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);
+extern void unregister_ata_idle_func(ata_idle_notify function, bool run);
+extern bool call_ata_idle_notifys(bool sleep_after);
 #else
-#define unregister_ata_idle_func(f)
+#define unregister_ata_idle_func(f,r)
 #define call_ata_idle_notifys()
-#define ata_idle_notify_init()
+#define ata_idle_notify_init(s)
 #endif
 
 #endif /* __ATACALLBACK_H__ */
diff --git a/firmware/powermgmt.c b/firmware/powermgmt.c
index f258502c2c..2ca176d072 100644
--- a/firmware/powermgmt.c
+++ b/firmware/powermgmt.c
@@ -1098,7 +1098,6 @@ void shutdown_hw(void)
 #ifdef HAVE_LCD_BITMAP
     glyph_cache_save();
 #endif
-    ata_flush();
     ata_spindown(1);
     while(ata_disk_is_active())
         sleep(HZ/10);