diff --git a/include/linux/atmel-ssc.h b/include/linux/atmel-ssc.h
index e8dd40873d55..7c0f6549898b 100644
--- a/include/linux/atmel-ssc.h
+++ b/include/linux/atmel-ssc.h
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ void ssc_free(struct ssc_device *ssc);
 #define SSC_RFMR_DATNB_OFFSET			 8
 #define SSC_RFMR_FSEDGE_SIZE			 1
 #define SSC_RFMR_FSEDGE_OFFSET			24
+/*
+ * The FSLEN_EXT exist on at91sam9rl, at91sam9g10,
+ * at91sam9g20, and at91sam9g45 and newer SoCs
+ */
+#define SSC_RFMR_FSLEN_EXT_SIZE			 4
+#define SSC_RFMR_FSLEN_EXT_OFFSET		28
 #define SSC_RFMR_FSLEN_SIZE			 4
 #define SSC_RFMR_FSLEN_OFFSET			16
 #define SSC_RFMR_FSOS_SIZE			 4
@@ -110,6 +116,12 @@ void ssc_free(struct ssc_device *ssc);
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSDEN_OFFSET			23
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSEDGE_SIZE			 1
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSEDGE_OFFSET			24
+/*
+ * The FSLEN_EXT exist on at91sam9rl, at91sam9g10,
+ * at91sam9g20, and at91sam9g45 and newer SoCs
+ */
+#define SSC_TFMR_FSLEN_EXT_SIZE			 4
+#define SSC_TFMR_FSLEN_EXT_OFFSET		28
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSLEN_SIZE			 4
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSLEN_OFFSET			16
 #define SSC_TFMR_FSOS_SIZE			 3
diff --git a/sound/soc/atmel/atmel_ssc_dai.c b/sound/soc/atmel/atmel_ssc_dai.c
index de433cfd044c..f403f399808a 100644
--- a/sound/soc/atmel/atmel_ssc_dai.c
+++ b/sound/soc/atmel/atmel_ssc_dai.c
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ static int atmel_ssc_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	u32 tfmr, rfmr, tcmr, rcmr;
 	int start_event;
 	int ret;
+	int fslen, fslen_ext;
 
 	/*
 	 * Currently, there is only one set of dma params for
@@ -387,18 +388,6 @@ static int atmel_ssc_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * The SSC only supports up to 16-bit samples in I2S format, due
-	 * to the size of the Frame Mode Register FSLEN field.
-	 */
-	if ((ssc_p->daifmt & SND_SOC_DAIFMT_FORMAT_MASK) == SND_SOC_DAIFMT_I2S
-		&& bits > 16) {
-		printk(KERN_WARNING
-				"atmel_ssc_dai: sample size %d "
-				"is too large for I2S\n", bits);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Compute SSC register settings.
 	 */
@@ -413,6 +402,17 @@ static int atmel_ssc_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 		 * from the MCK divider, and the BCLK signal
 		 * is output on the SSC TK line.
 		 */
+
+		if (bits > 16 && !ssc->pdata->has_fslen_ext) {
+			dev_err(dai->dev,
+				"sample size %d is too large for SSC device\n",
+				bits);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+
+		fslen_ext = (bits - 1) / 16;
+		fslen = (bits - 1) % 16;
+
 		rcmr =	  SSC_BF(RCMR_PERIOD, ssc_p->rcmr_period)
 			| SSC_BF(RCMR_STTDLY, START_DELAY)
 			| SSC_BF(RCMR_START, SSC_START_FALLING_RF)
@@ -420,9 +420,10 @@ static int atmel_ssc_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 			| SSC_BF(RCMR_CKO, SSC_CKO_NONE)
 			| SSC_BF(RCMR_CKS, SSC_CKS_DIV);
 
-		rfmr =	  SSC_BF(RFMR_FSEDGE, SSC_FSEDGE_POSITIVE)
+		rfmr =    SSC_BF(RFMR_FSLEN_EXT, fslen_ext)
+			| SSC_BF(RFMR_FSEDGE, SSC_FSEDGE_POSITIVE)
 			| SSC_BF(RFMR_FSOS, SSC_FSOS_NEGATIVE)
-			| SSC_BF(RFMR_FSLEN, (bits - 1))
+			| SSC_BF(RFMR_FSLEN, fslen)
 			| SSC_BF(RFMR_DATNB, (channels - 1))
 			| SSC_BIT(RFMR_MSBF)
 			| SSC_BF(RFMR_LOOP, 0)
@@ -435,10 +436,11 @@ static int atmel_ssc_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 			| SSC_BF(TCMR_CKO, SSC_CKO_CONTINUOUS)
 			| SSC_BF(TCMR_CKS, SSC_CKS_DIV);
 
-		tfmr =	  SSC_BF(TFMR_FSEDGE, SSC_FSEDGE_POSITIVE)
+		tfmr =    SSC_BF(TFMR_FSLEN_EXT, fslen_ext)
+			| SSC_BF(TFMR_FSEDGE, SSC_FSEDGE_POSITIVE)
 			| SSC_BF(TFMR_FSDEN, 0)
 			| SSC_BF(TFMR_FSOS, SSC_FSOS_NEGATIVE)
-			| SSC_BF(TFMR_FSLEN, (bits - 1))
+			| SSC_BF(TFMR_FSLEN, fslen)
 			| SSC_BF(TFMR_DATNB, (channels - 1))
 			| SSC_BIT(TFMR_MSBF)
 			| SSC_BF(TFMR_DATDEF, 0)