2.4.19 kernel and Tape devices?

[flying_walus]

Am setting up a machine at work to demo running BRU instead of some expensive Windows backup software. As i read their documentation, they say to use a 2.4.18 kernel, as

" WARNING Kernel 2.4.19 is demonstrating extreme issues with the recognition of SCSI Tape return codes. As such, the device has been seen to actually ignore 5the early warning EOT and continue writing data up to the physical end of tape. This prevents the backup application from properly closing the device and can lead to potential data loss at an end of tape situation. PLEASE DO NOT USE 2.4.19"

Can someone tell me if this has been addressed in the gentoo-sources kernels? the only 2.4.18 i can find in portage is vanilla, so I'll have to go dredge up the AC version and do a bunch of patching by hand if i can't use 2.4.19.

Thanks,

Ben