diff -p -u -r hw/xfree86/os-support/linux.orig/lnx_acpi.c hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_acpi.c
--- hw/xfree86/os-support/linux.orig/lnx_acpi.c	2006-08-07 17:57:13.000000000 +0200
+++ hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_acpi.c	2006-08-07 17:57:20.000000000 +0200
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@
 #define ACPI_VIDEO_HEAD_INVALID		(~0u - 1)
 #define ACPI_VIDEO_HEAD_END		(~0u)
 
+static PMClose doLnxACPIOpen(void);
 static void lnxCloseACPI(void);
 static pointer ACPIihPtr = NULL;
+static OsTimerPtr acpiTimer = NULL;
 PMClose lnxACPIOpen(void);
 
 /* in milliseconds */
@@ -52,6 +54,22 @@ lnxACPIReopen(OsTimerPtr timer, CARD32 t
 
 #define LINE_LENGTH 80
 
+static CARD32
+lnxACPICheckTimer(OsTimerPtr timer, CARD32 now, pointer arg)
+{
+#if DEBUG
+       ErrorF("ACPI: trying to reopen\n");
+#endif
+    if (doLnxACPIOpen()) {
+#if DEBUG
+       ErrorF("ACPI: successfully reopened\n");
+#endif
+       acpiTimer = NULL;
+       return 0;
+    }
+    return 5000;
+}
+
 static int
 lnxACPIGetEventFromOs(int fd, pmEvent *events, int num)
 {
@@ -132,16 +150,13 @@ lnxACPIConfirmEventToOs(int fd, pmEvent 
     }
 }
 
-PMClose
-lnxACPIOpen(void)
+static PMClose
+doLnxACPIOpen(void)
 {
     int fd;    
     struct sockaddr_un addr;
     int r = -1;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    ErrorF("ACPI: OSPMOpen called\n");
-#endif
     if (ACPIihPtr || !xf86Info.pmFlag)
 	return NULL;
    
@@ -169,6 +184,27 @@ lnxACPIOpen(void)
     return lnxCloseACPI;
 }
 
+PMClose 
+lnxACPIPoll(void)
+{
+    TimerSet(NULL, 0, 5000, lnxACPICheckTimer, NULL);
+    return lnxCloseACPI;
+}
+
+PMClose
+lnxACPIOpen(void)
+{
+    PMClose ret;
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    ErrorF("ACPI: OSPMOpen called\n");
+#endif
+    if (!(ret = doLnxACPIOpen()))
+       xf86MsgVerb(X_WARNING,3,"Open ACPI failed (%s) (%s)\n", ACPI_SOCKET,
+                   strerror(errno));
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 static void
 lnxCloseACPI(void)
 {
@@ -182,5 +218,11 @@ lnxCloseACPI(void)
 	shutdown(fd, 2);
 	close(fd);
 	ACPIihPtr = NULL;
+        xf86PMGetEventFromOs = NULL;
+        xf86PMConfirmEventToOs = NULL;
+        if (acpiTimer) {
+            TimerCancel(acpiTimer);
+            acpiTimer = NULL;
+        }
     }
 }
diff -p -u -r hw/xfree86/os-support/linux.orig/lnx_apm.c hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_apm.c
--- hw/xfree86/os-support/linux.orig/lnx_apm.c	2006-08-07 17:57:13.000000000 +0200
+++ hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_apm.c	2006-08-07 17:58:08.000000000 +0200
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #ifdef HAVE_ACPI
 extern PMClose lnxACPIOpen(void);
+extern PMClose lnxACPIPoll(void);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_APM
@@ -150,6 +151,14 @@ xf86OSPMOpen(void)
 		ret = lnxAPMOpen();
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_ACPI
+        /* if we can neither open ACPI nor APM poll for an ACPI service to
+           become available */
+
+        if (!ret && !xf86acpiDisableFlag)
+		ret = lnxACPIPoll();
+#endif
+
 	return ret;
 }