diff --git a/check_smart.pl b/check_smart.pl
index 0d8df12..a7ca83a 100755
--- a/check_smart.pl
+++ b/check_smart.pl
@@ -768,12 +768,20 @@
 			if ($output_mode =~ "ata") {
 				foreach my $line(@output){
 					next unless $line =~ /^ATA Error Count:\s(\d+)\s/;
-					my ($error_count) = ($1);
-					if ($error_count > 0){
-						push(@error_messages, "ATA Error Count is non-zero ($error_count)");
-						escalate_status('CRITICAL');
-						push (@perfdata, "ata_errors=$error_count;;;;")
+					my ($attribute_name, $raw_value) = ('ata_errors', $1);
+					if ( ($warn_list{$attribute_name}) && ($raw_value >= $warn_list{$attribute_name}) ) {
+						warn "(debug) $attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value)\n\n" if $opt_debug;
+						push(@warning_messages, "$attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value)");
+						escalate_status('WARNING');
+					} elsif ( ($warn_list{$attribute_name}) && ($raw_value < $warn_list{$attribute_name}) ) {
+						warn "(debug) $attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value) but less than $warn_list{$attribute_name}\n\n" if $opt_debug;
+						push(@notice_messages, "$attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value) (but less than threshold $warn_list{$attribute_name})");
+					} else {
+						warn "(debug) $attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value)\n\n" if $opt_debug;
+						push(@warning_messages, "$attribute_name is non-zero ($raw_value)");
+						escalate_status('WARNING');
 					}
+					push (@perfdata, "$attribute_name=$raw_value;;;;")
 				}
 			}
 		}