diff --git a/src/pcm/pcm.c b/src/pcm/pcm.c
index ab3bbda7..bd1fecbf 100644
--- a/src/pcm/pcm.c
+++ b/src/pcm/pcm.c
@@ -215,7 +215,8 @@ range, thus you may get the significant bits for linear samples via
 #snd_pcm_hw_params_get_sbits() function. The example: ICE1712
 chips support 32-bit sample processing, but low byte is ignored (playback)
 or zero (capture). The function snd_pcm_hw_params_get_sbits()
-returns 24 in this case.
+returns 24 in this case. The significant bits are related to the usable
+sample bits (width) not the physical sample space.
 
 \section alsa_transfers ALSA transfers
 
@@ -3905,6 +3906,10 @@ int snd_pcm_hw_params_get_rate_numden(const snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params,
  * \param params Configuration space
  * \return signification bits in sample otherwise a negative error code if the info is not available
  *
+ * Significant bits are related to usable sample bits (width) not the
+ * physical sample bits (width). For non-linear formats, this value may have
+ * a special meaning which may be defined in future.
+ *
  * This function should only be called when the configuration space
  * contains a single configuration. Call #snd_pcm_hw_params to choose
  * a single configuration from the configuration space.
diff --git a/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c b/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c
index bd3ecfc9..f3fbcb6e 100644
--- a/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c
+++ b/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c
@@ -379,12 +379,28 @@ static int snd_pcm_hw_hw_refine(snd_pcm_t *pcm, snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline int hw_params_call(snd_pcm_hw_t *pcm_hw, snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params)
+#define hw_param_mask(params,var) \
+	&((params)->masks[(var) - SND_PCM_HW_PARAM_FIRST_MASK])
+
+static int hw_params_call(snd_pcm_hw_t *pcm_hw, snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params)
 {
+	int err;
+
 	/* check for new hw_params structure; it's available from 2.0.2 version of PCM API */
 	if (SNDRV_PROTOCOL_VERSION(2, 0, 2) <= pcm_hw->version)
-		return ioctl(pcm_hw->fd, SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_HW_PARAMS, params);
-	return use_old_hw_params_ioctl(pcm_hw->fd, SND_PCM_IOCTL_HW_PARAMS_OLD, params);
+		err = ioctl(pcm_hw->fd, SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_HW_PARAMS, params);
+	else
+		err = use_old_hw_params_ioctl(pcm_hw->fd, SND_PCM_IOCTL_HW_PARAMS_OLD, params);
+	if (err >= 0 && pcm_hw->version < SNDRV_PROTOCOL_VERSION(2, 0, 17) && params->msbits > 0) {
+		snd_mask_t *m = hw_param_mask(params, SNDRV_PCM_HW_PARAM_FORMAT);
+		if (snd_mask_single(m)) {
+			snd_pcm_format_t format = snd_mask_min(m);
+			int width = snd_pcm_format_width(format);
+			if (width > 0 && params->msbits > (unsigned int)width)
+				params->msbits = width;
+		}
+	}
+	return err;
 }
 
 static int snd_pcm_hw_hw_params(snd_pcm_t *pcm, snd_pcm_hw_params_t * params)
diff --git a/src/pcm/pcm_params.c b/src/pcm/pcm_params.c
index c2f78634..05bfe3b2 100644
--- a/src/pcm/pcm_params.c
+++ b/src/pcm/pcm_params.c
@@ -2075,6 +2075,7 @@ int snd_pcm_hw_refine_soft(snd_pcm_t *pcm ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, snd_pcm_hw_params_t
 {
 	unsigned int k;
 	snd_interval_t *i;
+	snd_mask_t *m;
 	unsigned int rstamps[RULES];
 	unsigned int vstamps[SND_PCM_HW_PARAM_LAST_INTERVAL + 1];
 	unsigned int stamp = 2;
@@ -2159,6 +2160,11 @@ int snd_pcm_hw_refine_soft(snd_pcm_t *pcm ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, snd_pcm_hw_params_t
 		i = hw_param_interval(params, SND_PCM_HW_PARAM_SAMPLE_BITS);
 		if (snd_interval_single(i))
 			params->msbits = snd_interval_value(i);
+		m = hw_param_mask_c(params, SNDRV_PCM_HW_PARAM_FORMAT);
+		if (snd_mask_single(m)) {
+			snd_pcm_format_t format = snd_mask_min(m);
+			params->msbits = snd_pcm_format_width(format);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (!params->rate_den) {