diff --git a/hplip-device-reconnected.patch b/hplip-device-reconnected.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccb7fa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hplip-device-reconnected.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+diff -up hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c.device-reconnected hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c
+--- hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c.device-reconnected	2009-09-29 16:02:14.717467334 +0100
++++ hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c	2009-09-29 16:02:20.019342096 +0100
+@@ -638,6 +638,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+    HPMUD_DEVICE hd=-1;
+    HPMUD_CHANNEL cd=-1;
+    int n, total=0, retry=0, size, pages;
++   int consecutive_failures=0;
+    enum HPMUD_RESULT stat;
+    char *printer = getenv("PRINTER"); 
+    
+@@ -789,10 +790,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+                /* IO error, get printer status. */
+                if (loop_test(hd, cd, &pa, argv[0], printer, argv[2], argv[1], argv[3]))
+                   goto bugout;
++
++               if (++consecutive_failures == 5)
++               {
++                  /* hpmud_write_channel has failed several times in
++                   * succession but the Device ID-based status says
++                   * the printer is happy.  Time to face the fact that
++                   * the device has probably reconnected, and our USB
++                   * channel is invalidated. */
++
++                  BUG("ERROR: device reconnected?");
++                  goto bugout;
++               }
+             }
+             else
+             {
+                /* Data was sent to device successfully. */ 
++               consecutive_failures = 0;
+                if (pa.pjl_device)
+                {
+                   /* Laserjets have a large data buffer, so manually check for operator intervention condition. */
diff --git a/hplip.spec b/hplip.spec
index 787541c..504174f 100644
--- a/hplip.spec
+++ b/hplip.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Summary: HP Linux Imaging and Printing Project
 Name: hplip
 Version: 3.9.8
-Release: 16%{?dist}
+Release: 17%{?dist}
 License: GPLv2+ and MIT
 Group: System Environment/Daemons
 Conflicts: system-config-printer < 0.6.132
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Patch7: hplip-parenths.patch
 Patch8: hplip-non-scripts.patch
 Patch9: hplip-requirespageregion.patch
 Patch10: hplip-discovery-method.patch
+Patch11: hplip-device-reconnected.patch
 BuildRoot:	%{_tmppath}/%{name}-%{version}-%{release}-root-%(%{__id_u} -n)
 
 Requires(pre): /sbin/service
@@ -142,6 +143,9 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_DIR/%{name}-%{version}
 # Fixed hp-setup traceback when discovery page is skipped (bug #523685).
 %patch10 -p1 -b .discovery-method
 
+# Give up trying to print a job to a reconnected device (bug #515481).
+%patch11 -p1 -b .device-reconnected
+
 %build
 aclocal
 automake --foreign --add-missing --copy
@@ -345,6 +349,9 @@ fi
 /usr/bin/update-desktop-database &>/dev/null ||:
 
 %changelog
+* Tue Sep 29 2009 Tim Waugh <twaugh@redhat.com> 3.9.8-17
+- Give up trying to print a job to a reconnected device (bug #515481).
+
 * Wed Sep 23 2009 Tim Waugh <twaugh@redhat.com> 3.9.8-16
 - Enable parallel port support when configuring (bug #524979).