diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
index 51871c248d6d..7672f3e49df1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
@@ -9423,6 +9423,9 @@ void intel_modeset_cleanup(struct drm_device *dev)
 	/* flush any delayed tasks or pending work */
 	flush_scheduled_work();
 
+	/* destroy backlight, if any, before the connectors */
+	intel_panel_destroy_backlight(dev);
+
 	drm_mode_config_cleanup(dev);
 
 	intel_cleanup_overlay(dev);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_dp.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_dp.c
index 173add1d819e..8845e82ec9ed 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_dp.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_dp.c
@@ -2474,17 +2474,14 @@ done:
 static void
 intel_dp_destroy(struct drm_connector *connector)
 {
-	struct drm_device *dev = connector->dev;
 	struct intel_dp *intel_dp = intel_attached_dp(connector);
 	struct intel_connector *intel_connector = to_intel_connector(connector);
 
 	if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(intel_connector->edid))
 		kfree(intel_connector->edid);
 
-	if (is_edp(intel_dp)) {
-		intel_panel_destroy_backlight(dev);
+	if (is_edp(intel_dp))
 		intel_panel_fini(&intel_connector->panel);
-	}
 
 	drm_sysfs_connector_remove(connector);
 	drm_connector_cleanup(connector);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_lvds.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_lvds.c
index ca2d903c19bb..f36f1baabd5a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_lvds.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_lvds.c
@@ -631,7 +631,6 @@ static void intel_lvds_destroy(struct drm_connector *connector)
 	if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(lvds_connector->base.edid))
 		kfree(lvds_connector->base.edid);
 
-	intel_panel_destroy_backlight(connector->dev);
 	intel_panel_fini(&lvds_connector->base.panel);
 
 	drm_sysfs_connector_remove(connector);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
index 7874cecc2863..eb5e6e95f3c7 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_panel.c
@@ -428,6 +428,9 @@ int intel_panel_setup_backlight(struct drm_connector *connector)
 
 	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 @@ int intel_panel_setup_backlight(struct drm_connector *connector)
 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)