diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
index 9b2a54117c91..fa1323ff56b3 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
@@ -241,7 +241,10 @@ void drm_helper_disable_unused_functions(struct drm_device *dev)
 		struct drm_crtc_helper_funcs *crtc_funcs = crtc->helper_private;
 		crtc->enabled = drm_helper_crtc_in_use(crtc);
 		if (!crtc->enabled) {
-			crtc_funcs->dpms(crtc, DRM_MODE_DPMS_OFF);
+			if (crtc_funcs->disable)
+				(*crtc_funcs->disable)(crtc);
+			else
+				(*crtc_funcs->dpms)(crtc, DRM_MODE_DPMS_OFF);
 			crtc->fb = NULL;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_crtc_helper.h b/include/drm/drm_crtc_helper.h
index 1121f7799c6f..7e3c9766acba 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_crtc_helper.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_crtc_helper.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ struct drm_crtc_helper_funcs {
 
 	/* reload the current crtc LUT */
 	void (*load_lut)(struct drm_crtc *crtc);
+
+	/* disable crtc when not in use - more explicit than dpms off */
+	void (*disable)(struct drm_crtc *crtc);
 };
 
 struct drm_encoder_helper_funcs {