diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a5xx_gpu.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a5xx_gpu.c
index 724024a2243a..662d02289533 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a5xx_gpu.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a5xx_gpu.c
@@ -1404,6 +1404,10 @@ static unsigned long a5xx_gpu_busy(struct msm_gpu *gpu)
 {
 	u64 busy_cycles, busy_time;
 
+	/* Only read the gpu busy if the hardware is already active */
+	if (pm_runtime_get_if_in_use(&gpu->pdev->dev) == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	busy_cycles = gpu_read64(gpu, REG_A5XX_RBBM_PERFCTR_RBBM_0_LO,
 			REG_A5XX_RBBM_PERFCTR_RBBM_0_HI);
 
@@ -1412,6 +1416,8 @@ static unsigned long a5xx_gpu_busy(struct msm_gpu *gpu)
 
 	gpu->devfreq.busy_cycles = busy_cycles;
 
+	pm_runtime_put(&gpu->pdev->dev);
+
 	if (WARN_ON(busy_time > ~0LU))
 		return ~0LU;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gmu.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gmu.c
index 40cb4535d554..b4aa93710409 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gmu.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gmu.c
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ static void __a6xx_gmu_set_freq(struct a6xx_gmu *gmu, int index)
 	struct msm_gpu *gpu = &adreno_gpu->base;
 	int ret;
 
+	/*
+	 * This can get called from devfreq while the hardware is idle. Don't
+	 * bring up the power if it isn't already active
+	 */
+	if (pm_runtime_get_if_in_use(gmu->dev) == 0)
+		return;
+
 	gmu_write(gmu, REG_A6XX_GMU_DCVS_ACK_OPTION, 0);
 
 	gmu_write(gmu, REG_A6XX_GMU_DCVS_PERF_SETTING,
@@ -134,6 +141,7 @@ static void __a6xx_gmu_set_freq(struct a6xx_gmu *gmu, int index)
 	 * for now leave it at max so that the performance is nominal.
 	 */
 	icc_set_bw(gpu->icc_path, 0, MBps_to_icc(7216));
+	pm_runtime_put(gmu->dev);
 }
 
 void a6xx_gmu_set_freq(struct msm_gpu *gpu, unsigned long freq)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gpu.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gpu.c
index 68af24150de5..2c09d2c21773 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gpu.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/adreno/a6xx_gpu.c
@@ -810,6 +810,11 @@ static unsigned long a6xx_gpu_busy(struct msm_gpu *gpu)
 	struct a6xx_gpu *a6xx_gpu = to_a6xx_gpu(adreno_gpu);
 	u64 busy_cycles, busy_time;
 
+
+	/* Only read the gpu busy if the hardware is already active */
+	if (pm_runtime_get_if_in_use(a6xx_gpu->gmu.dev) == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	busy_cycles = gmu_read64(&a6xx_gpu->gmu,
 			REG_A6XX_GMU_CX_GMU_POWER_COUNTER_XOCLK_0_L,
 			REG_A6XX_GMU_CX_GMU_POWER_COUNTER_XOCLK_0_H);
@@ -819,6 +824,8 @@ static unsigned long a6xx_gpu_busy(struct msm_gpu *gpu)
 
 	gpu->devfreq.busy_cycles = busy_cycles;
 
+	pm_runtime_put(a6xx_gpu->gmu.dev);
+
 	if (WARN_ON(busy_time > ~0LU))
 		return ~0LU;