diff --git a/backend/plustek-pp_misc.c b/backend/plustek-pp_misc.c
index e171c0931..c4948e0cc 100644
--- a/backend/plustek-pp_misc.c
+++ b/backend/plustek-pp_misc.c
@@ -521,6 +521,9 @@ _LOC int MiscInitPorts( pScanData ps, int port )
 		return _E_NOSUPP;
 	}
 
+	DBG(DBG_HIGH, "SPP mode used (WORKAROUND)!!!\n" );
+	ps->IO.portMode = _PORT_SPP;
+
 	_VAR_NOT_USED( port );
 #endif
 	return _OK;
diff --git a/backend/plustek-pp_scan.h b/backend/plustek-pp_scan.h
index 5c9ea4571..c63270c07 100644
--- a/backend/plustek-pp_scan.h
+++ b/backend/plustek-pp_scan.h
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
 # include <string.h>
 # include <stdio.h>
 # include <unistd.h>
-/*# include <sched.h>*/
 # include <sys/time.h>
 # include <sys/signal.h>
 # include <sys/ioctl.h>
@@ -152,21 +151,26 @@
  * they are for use the the MiscStartTimer function and the _DO_UDELAY macro
  */
 #ifndef __KERNEL__
-typedef long long TimerDef, *pTimerDef;
+typedef double TimerDef, *pTimerDef;
 #else
 typedef long long TimerDef, *pTimerDef;
 #endif
 
-#define _MSECOND	1000							/* based on 1 us */
-#define _SECOND		(1000*_MSECOND)
-
+#define _MSECOND    1000             /* based on 1 us */
+#define _SECOND     (1000*_MSECOND)
 
 /*.............................................................................
  * timer topics
  */
 #ifndef __KERNEL__
-# define _DO_UDELAY(usecs)   { int i,j; for( i = usecs; i--; ) j+=i*3; }
-# define _DODELAY(msecs)     { int i; for( i = msecs; i--; ) usleep(1000); }
+#if 0
+# warning "outb as delay!!!!"
+# define _DO_UDELAY(usecs)   { int i; for( i = usecs; i--; ) outb(0, 0x80); }
+#else
+# define _DO_UDELAY(usecs)   sanei_pp_udelay(usecs)
+#endif
+
+# define _DODELAY(msecs)     { int i; for( i = msecs; i--; ) _DO_UDELAY(1000); }
 #else
 # define _DO_UDELAY(usecs)   udelay(usecs)
 # define _DODELAY(msecs)     mdelay(msecs)
diff --git a/backend/plustek_pp.c b/backend/plustek_pp.c
index 630d6f99e..3c855915f 100644
--- a/backend/plustek_pp.c
+++ b/backend/plustek_pp.c
@@ -1143,9 +1143,16 @@ SANE_Status sane_init( SANE_Int *version_code, SANE_Auth_Callback authorize )
     CnfDef   config;
 	size_t   len;
 	FILE    *fp;
+	SANE_Status res;
 
 	DBG_INIT();
 	sanei_thread_init();
+	
+	res = sanei_pp_init();
+	if( SANE_STATUS_GOOD != res ) {
+		DBG( _DBG_ERROR, "Could not initialize Parport library!\n" );
+		return res;
+	}
 
 #if defined PACKAGE && defined VERSION
 	DBG( _DBG_SANE_INIT, "PlustekPP backend V"BACKEND_VERSION", part of "