tape error

[utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ucsfcgl!sdcarl!rusty]

We just recently converted to 4.1bsd and are now having a problem
with our te16/tm03 tape drive. Whenever you try to open the drive
when there is no tape online you get the usual message about it
not being online, but when a tape is subsequently put on line on
the drive directly afterwards we always get the UNSAFE error bit.
It goes away the next time you try to open the drive.

Does anybody know what the problem and/or cure is?