diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
index 8bbe83b9d0b2..f084af0cb8e0 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -2629,8 +2629,9 @@ and is between 256 and 4096 characters. It is defined in the file
 			aux-ide-disks -- unplug non-primary-master IDE devices
 			nics -- unplug network devices
 			all -- unplug all emulated devices (NICs and IDE disks)
-			ignore -- continue loading the Xen platform PCI driver even
-				if the version check failed
+			unnecessary -- unplugging emulated devices is
+				unnecessary even if the host did not respond to
+				the unplug protocol
 			never -- do not unplug even if version check succeeds
 
 	xirc2ps_cs=	[NET,PCMCIA]
diff --git a/arch/x86/xen/platform-pci-unplug.c b/arch/x86/xen/platform-pci-unplug.c
index 070dfa0654bd..0f456386cce5 100644
--- a/arch/x86/xen/platform-pci-unplug.c
+++ b/arch/x86/xen/platform-pci-unplug.c
@@ -78,10 +78,11 @@ void __init xen_unplug_emulated_devices(void)
 	/* check the version of the xen platform PCI device */
 	r = check_platform_magic();
 	/* If the version matches enable the Xen platform PCI driver.
-	 * Also enable the Xen platform PCI driver if the version is really old
-	 * and the user told us to ignore it. */
+	 * Also enable the Xen platform PCI driver if the host does
+	 * not support the unplug protocol (XEN_PLATFORM_ERR_MAGIC)
+	 * but the user told us that unplugging is unnecessary. */
 	if (r && !(r == XEN_PLATFORM_ERR_MAGIC &&
-			(xen_emul_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_IGNORE)))
+			(xen_emul_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_UNNECESSARY)))
 		return;
 	/* Set the default value of xen_emul_unplug depending on whether or
 	 * not the Xen PV frontends and the Xen platform PCI driver have
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ void __init xen_unplug_emulated_devices(void)
 		}
 	}
 	/* Now unplug the emulated devices */
-	if (!(xen_emul_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_IGNORE))
+	if (!(xen_emul_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_UNNECESSARY))
 		outw(xen_emul_unplug, XEN_IOPORT_UNPLUG);
 	xen_platform_pci_unplug = xen_emul_unplug;
 }
@@ -128,8 +129,8 @@ static int __init parse_xen_emul_unplug(char *arg)
 			xen_emul_unplug |= XEN_UNPLUG_AUX_IDE_DISKS;
 		else if (!strncmp(p, "nics", l))
 			xen_emul_unplug |= XEN_UNPLUG_ALL_NICS;
-		else if (!strncmp(p, "ignore", l))
-			xen_emul_unplug |= XEN_UNPLUG_IGNORE;
+		else if (!strncmp(p, "unnecessary", l))
+			xen_emul_unplug |= XEN_UNPLUG_UNNECESSARY;
 		else if (!strncmp(p, "never", l))
 			xen_emul_unplug |= XEN_UNPLUG_NEVER;
 		else
diff --git a/drivers/block/xen-blkfront.c b/drivers/block/xen-blkfront.c
index ac1b682edecb..ab735a605cf3 100644
--- a/drivers/block/xen-blkfront.c
+++ b/drivers/block/xen-blkfront.c
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ static int blkfront_probe(struct xenbus_device *dev,
 		char *type;
 		int len;
 		/* no unplug has been done: do not hook devices != xen vbds */
-		if (xen_platform_pci_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_IGNORE) {
+		if (xen_platform_pci_unplug & XEN_UNPLUG_UNNECESSARY) {
 			int major;
 
 			if (!VDEV_IS_EXTENDED(vdevice))
diff --git a/include/xen/platform_pci.h b/include/xen/platform_pci.h
index 123b7752fa6a..590ccfd82645 100644
--- a/include/xen/platform_pci.h
+++ b/include/xen/platform_pci.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #define XEN_UNPLUG_ALL_NICS 2
 #define XEN_UNPLUG_AUX_IDE_DISKS 4
 #define XEN_UNPLUG_ALL 7
-#define XEN_UNPLUG_IGNORE 8
+#define XEN_UNPLUG_UNNECESSARY 8
 #define XEN_UNPLUG_NEVER 16
 
 static inline int xen_must_unplug_nics(void) {