The X-ray crystal structure of poly(tetramethyl-p-silphenylene siloxane) has been re-determined from fibre diffraction data by direct methods (Sayre equation via a multisolution approach). Despite the somewhat low resolution of the observed data set, this approach is sufficient for distinguishing the correct space group as well as producing an electron density envelope that fits the outlines of the monomer repeat. The resultant structural solution is virtually identical to the one found earlier by a model refinement procedure.