diff --git a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
index 012ada38a29d..21080f9dae87 100644
--- a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
+++ b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
@@ -134,9 +134,24 @@ static int disp_num_counter;
 int omapdss_register_display(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
 {
 	struct omap_dss_driver *drv = dssdev->driver;
+	int id;
 
-	snprintf(dssdev->alias, sizeof(dssdev->alias),
-			"display%d", disp_num_counter++);
+	/*
+	 * Note: this presumes all the displays are either using DT or non-DT,
+	 * which normally should be the case. This also presumes that all
+	 * displays either have an DT alias, or none has.
+	 */
+
+	if (dssdev->dev->of_node) {
+		id = of_alias_get_id(dssdev->dev->of_node, "display");
+
+		if (id < 0)
+			id = disp_num_counter++;
+	} else {
+		id = disp_num_counter++;
+	}
+
+	snprintf(dssdev->alias, sizeof(dssdev->alias), "display%d", id);
 
 	/* Use 'label' property for name, if it exists */
 	if (dssdev->dev->of_node)