diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
index 7874cec..eb5e6e9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
@@ -428,6 +428,9 @@
 
 	intel_panel_init_backlight(dev);
 
+	if (WARN_ON(dev_priv->backlight.device))
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	memset(&props, 0, sizeof(props));
 	props.type = BACKLIGHT_RAW;
 	props.brightness = dev_priv->backlight.level;
@@ -453,8 +456,10 @@
 void intel_panel_destroy_backlight(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct drm_i915_private *dev_priv = dev->dev_private;
-	if (dev_priv->backlight.device)
+	if (dev_priv->backlight.device) {
 		backlight_device_unregister(dev_priv->backlight.device);
+		dev_priv->backlight.device = NULL;
+	}
 }
 #else
 int intel_panel_setup_backlight(struct drm_connector *connector)