diff --git a/avrdude/stk500v2.c b/avrdude/stk500v2.c
index fe7f2635..859205e7 100644
--- a/avrdude/stk500v2.c
+++ b/avrdude/stk500v2.c
@@ -237,7 +237,15 @@ retry:
 
   // if we got bytes returned, check to see what came back
   if (status > 0) {
-    if (resp[0] == STATUS_CMD_OK) {
+    if ((resp[0] == CMD_SIGN_ON) && (resp[1] == STATUS_CMD_OK)) {
+#if 0
+      int i;
+      fprintf(stderr, "found programmer type: ");
+      for (i=0; i<resp[2]; i++) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "%c", resp[3+i]);
+      }
+      fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+#endif
       // success!
       return 0;
     } else {