diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/dispnv50/disp.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/dispnv50/disp.c
index 146e54ef672e..f1dbc7852414 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/dispnv50/disp.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/dispnv50/disp.c
@@ -1826,8 +1826,11 @@ nv50_disp_atomic_commit_tail(struct drm_atomic_state *state)
 
 		NV_ATOMIC(drm, "%s: clr %04x (set %04x)\n", crtc->name,
 			  asyh->clr.mask, asyh->set.mask);
-		if (old_crtc_state->active && !new_crtc_state->active)
+
+		if (old_crtc_state->active && !new_crtc_state->active) {
+			pm_runtime_put_noidle(dev->dev);
 			drm_crtc_vblank_off(crtc);
+		}
 
 		if (asyh->clr.mask) {
 			nv50_head_flush_clr(head, asyh, atom->flush_disable);
@@ -1913,8 +1916,10 @@ nv50_disp_atomic_commit_tail(struct drm_atomic_state *state)
 		}
 
 		if (new_crtc_state->active) {
-			if (!old_crtc_state->active)
+			if (!old_crtc_state->active) {
 				drm_crtc_vblank_on(crtc);
+				pm_runtime_get_noresume(dev->dev);
+			}
 			if (new_crtc_state->event)
 				drm_crtc_vblank_get(crtc);
 		}
@@ -1979,6 +1984,10 @@ nv50_disp_atomic_commit_tail(struct drm_atomic_state *state)
 	drm_atomic_helper_cleanup_planes(dev, state);
 	drm_atomic_helper_commit_cleanup_done(state);
 	drm_atomic_state_put(state);
+
+	/* Drop the RPM ref we got from nv50_disp_atomic_commit() */
+	pm_runtime_mark_last_busy(dev->dev);
+	pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev->dev);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1993,11 +2002,8 @@ static int
 nv50_disp_atomic_commit(struct drm_device *dev,
 			struct drm_atomic_state *state, bool nonblock)
 {
-	struct nouveau_drm *drm = nouveau_drm(dev);
 	struct drm_plane_state *new_plane_state;
 	struct drm_plane *plane;
-	struct drm_crtc *crtc;
-	bool active = false;
 	int ret, i;
 
 	ret = pm_runtime_get_sync(dev->dev);
@@ -2034,27 +2040,17 @@ nv50_disp_atomic_commit(struct drm_device *dev,
 
 	drm_atomic_state_get(state);
 
+	/*
+	 * Grab another RPM ref for the commit tail, which will release the
+	 * ref when it's finished
+	 */
+	pm_runtime_get_noresume(dev->dev);
+
 	if (nonblock)
 		queue_work(system_unbound_wq, &state->commit_work);
 	else
 		nv50_disp_atomic_commit_tail(state);
 
-	drm_for_each_crtc(crtc, dev) {
-		if (crtc->state->active) {
-			if (!drm->have_disp_power_ref) {
-				drm->have_disp_power_ref = true;
-				return 0;
-			}
-			active = true;
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (!active && drm->have_disp_power_ref) {
-		pm_runtime_put_autosuspend(dev->dev);
-		drm->have_disp_power_ref = false;
-	}
-
 err_cleanup:
 	if (ret)
 		drm_atomic_helper_cleanup_planes(dev, state);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drv.h
index cf0d0a416af6..70f34cacc552 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drv.h
@@ -206,9 +206,6 @@ struct nouveau_drm {
 	/* led management */
 	struct nouveau_led *led;
 
-	/* display power reference */
-	bool have_disp_power_ref;
-
 	struct dev_pm_domain vga_pm_domain;
 
 	struct nouveau_svm *svm;