diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/engine/disp/dacnv50.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/engine/disp/dacnv50.c
index f02fd9f443ff..a66b27c0fcab 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/engine/disp/dacnv50.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/core/engine/disp/dacnv50.c
@@ -49,18 +49,23 @@ int
 nv50_dac_sense(struct nv50_disp_priv *priv, int or, u32 loadval)
 {
 	const u32 doff = (or * 0x800);
-	int load = -EINVAL;
+
 	nv_mask(priv, 0x61a004 + doff, 0x807f0000, 0x80150000);
 	nv_wait(priv, 0x61a004 + doff, 0x80000000, 0x00000000);
+
 	nv_wr32(priv, 0x61a00c + doff, 0x00100000 | loadval);
 	mdelay(9);
 	udelay(500);
-	nv_wr32(priv, 0x61a00c + doff, 0x80000000);
-	load = (nv_rd32(priv, 0x61a00c + doff) & 0x38000000) >> 27;
-	nv_wr32(priv, 0x61a00c + doff, 0x00000000);
+	loadval = nv_mask(priv, 0x61a00c + doff, 0xffffffff, 0x00000000);
+
 	nv_mask(priv, 0x61a004 + doff, 0x807f0000, 0x80550000);
 	nv_wait(priv, 0x61a004 + doff, 0x80000000, 0x00000000);
-	return load;
+
+	nv_debug(priv, "DAC%d sense: 0x%08x\n", or, loadval);
+	if (!(loadval & 0x80000000))
+		return -ETIMEDOUT;
+
+	return (loadval & 0x38000000) >> 27;
 }
 
 int