[hynek]

Right, but that would take some really deep patching of code I don't control, just so it works in development.

If this were a production issue, I would probably fork the driver and do what you're suggesting (it's not like it's actively maintained or something :|).

[orf]

Why not fork it? If only to have the code under your control in case it abruptly becomes inaccessible.

Then the fix is a single if statement. Seems worth it to me.