diff --git a/hw/usb/hcd-ehci.c b/hw/usb/hcd-ehci.c
index 23631a47c9..10a5b15890 100644
--- a/hw/usb/hcd-ehci.c
+++ b/hw/usb/hcd-ehci.c
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@
 #define NB_MAXINTRATE    8        // Max rate at which controller issues ints
 #define NB_PORTS         6        // Number of downstream ports
 #define BUFF_SIZE        5*4096   // Max bytes to transfer per transaction
-#define MAX_ITERATIONS   20       // Max number of QH before we break the loop
 #define MAX_QH           100      // Max allowable queue heads in a chain
 
 /*  Internal periodic / asynchronous schedule state machine states
@@ -1931,24 +1930,8 @@ static void ehci_advance_state(EHCIState *ehci,
 {
     EHCIQueue *q = NULL;
     int again;
-    int iter = 0;
 
     do {
-        if (ehci_get_state(ehci, async) == EST_FETCHQH) {
-            iter++;
-            /* if we are roaming a lot of QH without executing a qTD
-             * something is wrong with the linked list. TO-DO: why is
-             * this hack needed?
-             */
-            assert(iter < MAX_ITERATIONS);
-#if 0
-            if (iter > MAX_ITERATIONS) {
-                DPRINTF("\n*** advance_state: bailing on MAX ITERATIONS***\n");
-                ehci_set_state(ehci, async, EST_ACTIVE);
-                break;
-            }
-#endif
-        }
         switch(ehci_get_state(ehci, async)) {
         case EST_WAITLISTHEAD:
             again = ehci_state_waitlisthead(ehci, async);
@@ -1984,7 +1967,6 @@ static void ehci_advance_state(EHCIState *ehci,
             break;
 
         case EST_EXECUTE:
-            iter = 0;
             again = ehci_state_execute(q, async);
             break;