diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_mode.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_mode.c
index 8ff998da71ef..d5ee3ad538a8 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_mode.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_mode.c
@@ -1161,13 +1161,13 @@ static int ast_crtc_helper_atomic_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 	bool succ;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(crtc_state, false);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
 	if (!crtc_state->enable)
 		goto out;
 
+	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(crtc_state);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	ast_state = to_ast_crtc_state(crtc_state);
 
 	format = ast_state->format;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
index 02b4a7dc92f5..1a586b3c454b 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
@@ -924,51 +924,35 @@ int drm_atomic_helper_check_plane_state(struct drm_plane_state *plane_state,
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_atomic_helper_check_plane_state);
 
 /**
- * drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state() - Check CRTC state for validity
+ * drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane() - Check CRTC state for primary plane
  * @crtc_state: CRTC state to check
- * @can_disable_primary_planes: can the CRTC be enabled without a primary plane?
  *
- * Checks that a desired CRTC update is valid. Drivers that provide
- * their own CRTC handling rather than helper-provided implementations may
- * still wish to call this function to avoid duplication of error checking
- * code.
- *
- * Note that @can_disable_primary_planes only tests if the CRTC can be
- * enabled without a primary plane. To test if a primary plane can be updated
- * without a CRTC, use drm_atomic_helper_check_plane_state() in the plane's
- * atomic check.
+ * Checks that a CRTC has at least one primary plane attached to it, which is
+ * a requirement on some hardware. Note that this only involves the CRTC side
+ * of the test. To test if the primary plane is visible or if it can be updated
+ * without the CRTC being enabled, use drm_atomic_helper_check_plane_state() in
+ * the plane's atomic check.
  *
  * RETURNS:
- * Zero if update appears valid, error code on failure
+ * 0 if a primary plane is attached to the CRTC, or an error code otherwise
  */
-int drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(struct drm_crtc_state *crtc_state,
-				       bool can_disable_primary_planes)
+int drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(struct drm_crtc_state *crtc_state)
 {
-	struct drm_device *dev = crtc_state->crtc->dev;
-
-	if (!crtc_state->enable)
-		return 0;
+	struct drm_crtc *crtc = crtc_state->crtc;
+	struct drm_device *dev = crtc->dev;
+	struct drm_plane *plane;
 
 	/* needs at least one primary plane to be enabled */
-	if (!can_disable_primary_planes) {
-		bool has_primary_plane = false;
-		struct drm_plane *plane;
-
-		drm_for_each_plane_mask(plane, dev, crtc_state->plane_mask) {
-			if (plane->type == DRM_PLANE_TYPE_PRIMARY) {
-				has_primary_plane = true;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		if (!has_primary_plane) {
-			drm_dbg_kms(dev, "Cannot enable CRTC without a primary plane.\n");
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
+	drm_for_each_plane_mask(plane, dev, crtc_state->plane_mask) {
+		if (plane->type == DRM_PLANE_TYPE_PRIMARY)
+			return 0;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	drm_dbg_atomic(dev, "[CRTC:%d:%s] primary plane missing\n", crtc->base.id, crtc->name);
+
+	return -EINVAL;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane);
 
 /**
  * drm_atomic_helper_check_planes - validate state object for planes changes
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
index e9f782119d3d..31233c6ae3c4 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
@@ -102,10 +102,14 @@ static int drm_simple_kms_crtc_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 	struct drm_crtc_state *crtc_state = drm_atomic_get_new_crtc_state(state, crtc);
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(crtc_state, false);
+	if (!crtc_state->enable)
+		goto out;
+
+	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(crtc_state);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+out:
 	return drm_atomic_add_affected_planes(state, crtc);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mgag200/mgag200_mode.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/mgag200/mgag200_mode.c
index bbab2549243a..5f7eb642f0c6 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mgag200/mgag200_mode.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mgag200/mgag200_mode.c
@@ -579,13 +579,13 @@ int mgag200_crtc_helper_atomic_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc, struct drm_atomic_st
 	struct drm_property_blob *new_gamma_lut = new_crtc_state->gamma_lut;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(new_crtc_state, false);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
 	if (!new_crtc_state->enable)
 		return 0;
 
+	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(new_crtc_state);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	if (new_crtc_state->mode_changed) {
 		if (funcs->pixpllc_atomic_check) {
 			ret = funcs->pixpllc_atomic_check(crtc, new_state);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/solomon/ssd130x.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/solomon/ssd130x.c
index f456b233d2e7..57e48355c008 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/solomon/ssd130x.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/solomon/ssd130x.c
@@ -651,10 +651,14 @@ static int ssd130x_crtc_helper_atomic_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 	struct drm_crtc_state *new_crtc_state = drm_atomic_get_new_crtc_state(new_state, crtc);
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(new_crtc_state, false);
+	if (!new_crtc_state->enable)
+		goto out;
+
+	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(new_crtc_state);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+out:
 	return drm_atomic_add_affected_planes(new_state, crtc);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/tiny/simpledrm.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/tiny/simpledrm.c
index 18489779fb8a..ecd49a8f3334 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/tiny/simpledrm.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/tiny/simpledrm.c
@@ -551,10 +551,14 @@ static int simpledrm_crtc_helper_atomic_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 	struct drm_crtc_state *new_crtc_state = drm_atomic_get_new_crtc_state(new_state, crtc);
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(new_crtc_state, false);
+	if (!new_crtc_state->enable)
+		goto out;
+
+	ret = drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(new_crtc_state);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+out:
 	return drm_atomic_add_affected_planes(new_state, crtc);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/udl/udl_modeset.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/udl/udl_modeset.c
index 3a25f3fc2b22..4b79d44752c9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/udl/udl_modeset.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/udl/udl_modeset.c
@@ -315,7 +315,10 @@ static int udl_crtc_helper_atomic_check(struct drm_crtc *crtc, struct drm_atomic
 {
 	struct drm_crtc_state *new_crtc_state = drm_atomic_get_new_crtc_state(state, crtc);
 
-	return drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(new_crtc_state, false);
+	if (!new_crtc_state->enable)
+		return 0;
+
+	return drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(new_crtc_state);
 }
 
 static void udl_crtc_helper_atomic_enable(struct drm_crtc *crtc, struct drm_atomic_state *state)
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_atomic_helper.h b/include/drm/drm_atomic_helper.h
index 06d8902a8097..33f982cd1a27 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_atomic_helper.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_atomic_helper.h
@@ -58,10 +58,9 @@ int drm_atomic_helper_check_plane_state(struct drm_plane_state *plane_state,
 					int max_scale,
 					bool can_position,
 					bool can_update_disabled);
-int drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_state(struct drm_crtc_state *crtc_state,
-				       bool can_disable_primary_plane);
 int drm_atomic_helper_check_planes(struct drm_device *dev,
 			       struct drm_atomic_state *state);
+int drm_atomic_helper_check_crtc_primary_plane(struct drm_crtc_state *crtc_state);
 int drm_atomic_helper_check(struct drm_device *dev,
 			    struct drm_atomic_state *state);
 void drm_atomic_helper_commit_tail(struct drm_atomic_state *state);