diff --git a/src/jtag3.c b/src/jtag3.c
index f3560bde..178d29b9 100644
--- a/src/jtag3.c
+++ b/src/jtag3.c
@@ -1068,16 +1068,28 @@ static int jtag3_initialize(const PROGRAMMER *pgm, const AVRPART *p) {
       my.set_sck = jtag3_set_sck_mega_jtag;
   }
 
-  if(pgm->bitclock && my.set_sck) {
-    unsigned int clock = 1E-3/pgm->bitclock;  // kHz
+  if(my.set_sck) {
+    unsigned int xmega_default_jtag_bitclock = 0;
 
-    if(!(pgm->extra_features & HAS_BITCLOCK_ADJ))
-      pmsg_warning("setting bitclock despite HAS_BITCLOCK_ADJ missing in pgm->extra_features\n");
-    pmsg_notice2("%s(): trying to set JTAG clock to %u kHz\n", __func__, clock);
-    parm[0] = clock & 0xff;
-    parm[1] = (clock >> 8) & 0xff;
-    if(my.set_sck(pgm, parm) < 0)
-      return -1;
+    if(!pgm->bitclock) {
+      // ICkit 4 and SNAP requires the bitclock to be explicity set when programming Xmegas using JTAG
+      if(my.set_sck == jtag3_set_sck_xmega_jtag && (str_starts(pgmid, "pickit4") || str_starts(pgmid, "snap"))) {
+        xmega_default_jtag_bitclock = 7500; // Use a default Xmega JTAG bitclock of 7500 kHz
+        pmsg_notice2("%s(): programmer requires a JTAG clock speed to be specified\n", __func__);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if(pgm->bitclock || xmega_default_jtag_bitclock) {
+      unsigned int clock = pgm->bitclock? 1E-3/pgm->bitclock: xmega_default_jtag_bitclock;  // kHz
+
+      if(!(pgm->extra_features & HAS_BITCLOCK_ADJ))
+        pmsg_warning("setting bitclock despite HAS_BITCLOCK_ADJ missing in pgm->extra_features\n");
+      pmsg_notice2("%s(): trying to set JTAG clock to %u kHz\n", __func__, clock);
+      parm[0] = clock & 0xff;
+      parm[1] = (clock >> 8) & 0xff;
+      if(my.set_sck(pgm, parm) < 0)
+        return -1;
+    }
   }
 
   if(conn == PARM3_CONN_JTAG) {