diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_crtc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_crtc.c
index bec66a4..79b200a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_crtc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_crtc.c
@@ -74,6 +74,13 @@ struct omap_crtc {
 	struct work_struct page_flip_work;
 };
 
+uint32_t pipe2vbl(struct drm_crtc *crtc)
+{
+	struct omap_crtc *omap_crtc = to_omap_crtc(crtc);
+
+	return dispc_mgr_get_vsync_irq(omap_crtc->channel);
+}
+
 /*
  * Manager-ops, callbacks from output when they need to configure
  * the upstream part of the video pipe.
@@ -613,7 +620,13 @@ struct drm_crtc *omap_crtc_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	omap_crtc->apply.pre_apply  = omap_crtc_pre_apply;
 	omap_crtc->apply.post_apply = omap_crtc_post_apply;
 
-	omap_crtc->apply_irq.irqmask = pipe2vbl(id);
+	omap_crtc->channel = channel;
+	omap_crtc->plane = plane;
+	omap_crtc->plane->crtc = crtc;
+	omap_crtc->name = channel_names[channel];
+	omap_crtc->pipe = id;
+
+	omap_crtc->apply_irq.irqmask = pipe2vbl(crtc);
 	omap_crtc->apply_irq.irq = omap_crtc_apply_irq;
 
 	omap_crtc->error_irq.irqmask =
@@ -621,12 +634,6 @@ struct drm_crtc *omap_crtc_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	omap_crtc->error_irq.irq = omap_crtc_error_irq;
 	omap_irq_register(dev, &omap_crtc->error_irq);
 
-	omap_crtc->channel = channel;
-	omap_crtc->plane = plane;
-	omap_crtc->plane->crtc = crtc;
-	omap_crtc->name = channel_names[channel];
-	omap_crtc->pipe = id;
-
 	/* temporary: */
 	omap_crtc->mgr.id = channel;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.c
index 77b7225..cbaa003 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.c
@@ -74,49 +74,48 @@ static int get_connector_type(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
 	}
 }
 
+static bool channel_used(struct drm_device *dev, enum omap_channel channel)
+{
+	struct omap_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < priv->num_crtcs; i++) {
+		struct drm_crtc *crtc = priv->crtcs[i];
+
+		if (omap_crtc_channel(crtc) == channel)
+			return true;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 static int omap_modeset_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct omap_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
 	struct omap_dss_device *dssdev = NULL;
 	int num_ovls = dss_feat_get_num_ovls();
-	int id;
+	int num_mgrs = dss_feat_get_num_mgrs();
+	int num_crtcs;
+	int i, id = 0;
 
 	drm_mode_config_init(dev);
 
 	omap_drm_irq_install(dev);
 
 	/*
-	 * Create private planes and CRTCs for the last NUM_CRTCs overlay
-	 * plus manager:
-	 */
-	for (id = 0; id < min(num_crtc, num_ovls); id++) {
-		struct drm_plane *plane;
-		struct drm_crtc *crtc;
-
-		plane = omap_plane_init(dev, id, true);
-		crtc = omap_crtc_init(dev, plane, pipe2chan(id), id);
-
-		BUG_ON(priv->num_crtcs >= ARRAY_SIZE(priv->crtcs));
-		priv->crtcs[id] = crtc;
-		priv->num_crtcs++;
-
-		priv->planes[id] = plane;
-		priv->num_planes++;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Create normal planes for the remaining overlays:
+	 * We usually don't want to create a CRTC for each manager, at least
+	 * not until we have a way to expose private planes to userspace.
+	 * Otherwise there would not be enough video pipes left for drm planes.
+	 * We use the num_crtc argument to limit the number of crtcs we create.
 	 */
-	for (; id < num_ovls; id++) {
-		struct drm_plane *plane = omap_plane_init(dev, id, false);
+	num_crtcs = min3(num_crtc, num_mgrs, num_ovls);
 
-		BUG_ON(priv->num_planes >= ARRAY_SIZE(priv->planes));
-		priv->planes[priv->num_planes++] = plane;
-	}
+	dssdev = NULL;
 
 	for_each_dss_dev(dssdev) {
 		struct drm_connector *connector;
 		struct drm_encoder *encoder;
+		enum omap_channel channel;
 
 		if (!dssdev->driver) {
 			dev_warn(dev->dev, "%s has no driver.. skipping it\n",
@@ -157,16 +156,118 @@ static int omap_modeset_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 
 		drm_mode_connector_attach_encoder(connector, encoder);
 
+		/*
+		 * if we have reached the limit of the crtcs we are allowed to
+		 * create, let's not try to look for a crtc for this
+		 * panel/encoder and onwards, we will, of course, populate the
+		 * the possible_crtcs field for all the encoders with the final
+		 * set of crtcs we create
+		 */
+		if (id == num_crtcs)
+			continue;
+
+		/*
+		 * get the recommended DISPC channel for this encoder. For now,
+		 * we only try to get create a crtc out of the recommended, the
+		 * other possible channels to which the encoder can connect are
+		 * not considered.
+		 */
+		channel = dssdev->output->dispc_channel;
+
+		/*
+		 * if this channel hasn't already been taken by a previously
+		 * allocated crtc, we create a new crtc for it
+		 */
+		if (!channel_used(dev, channel)) {
+			struct drm_plane *plane;
+			struct drm_crtc *crtc;
+
+			plane = omap_plane_init(dev, id, true);
+			crtc = omap_crtc_init(dev, plane, channel, id);
+
+			BUG_ON(priv->num_crtcs >= ARRAY_SIZE(priv->crtcs));
+			priv->crtcs[id] = crtc;
+			priv->num_crtcs++;
+
+			priv->planes[id] = plane;
+			priv->num_planes++;
+
+			id++;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * we have allocated crtcs according to the need of the panels/encoders,
+	 * adding more crtcs here if needed
+	 */
+	for (; id < num_crtcs; id++) {
+
+		/* find a free manager for this crtc */
+		for (i = 0; i < num_mgrs; i++) {
+			if (!channel_used(dev, i)) {
+				struct drm_plane *plane;
+				struct drm_crtc *crtc;
+
+				plane = omap_plane_init(dev, id, true);
+				crtc = omap_crtc_init(dev, plane, i, id);
+
+				BUG_ON(priv->num_crtcs >=
+					ARRAY_SIZE(priv->crtcs));
+
+				priv->crtcs[id] = crtc;
+				priv->num_crtcs++;
+
+				priv->planes[id] = plane;
+				priv->num_planes++;
+
+				break;
+			} else {
+				continue;
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (i == num_mgrs) {
+			/* this shouldn't really happen */
+			dev_err(dev->dev, "no managers left for crtc\n");
+			return -ENOMEM;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Create normal planes for the remaining overlays:
+	 */
+	for (; id < num_ovls; id++) {
+		struct drm_plane *plane = omap_plane_init(dev, id, false);
+
+		BUG_ON(priv->num_planes >= ARRAY_SIZE(priv->planes));
+		priv->planes[priv->num_planes++] = plane;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < priv->num_encoders; i++) {
+		struct drm_encoder *encoder = priv->encoders[i];
+		struct omap_dss_device *dssdev =
+					omap_encoder_get_dssdev(encoder);
+
 		/* figure out which crtc's we can connect the encoder to: */
 		encoder->possible_crtcs = 0;
 		for (id = 0; id < priv->num_crtcs; id++) {
-			enum omap_dss_output_id supported_outputs =
-					dss_feat_get_supported_outputs(pipe2chan(id));
+			struct drm_crtc *crtc = priv->crtcs[id];
+			enum omap_channel crtc_channel;
+			enum omap_dss_output_id supported_outputs;
+
+			crtc_channel = omap_crtc_channel(crtc);
+			supported_outputs =
+				dss_feat_get_supported_outputs(crtc_channel);
+
 			if (supported_outputs & dssdev->output->id)
 				encoder->possible_crtcs |= (1 << id);
 		}
 	}
 
+	DBG("registered %d planes, %d crtcs, %d encoders and %d connectors\n",
+		priv->num_planes, priv->num_crtcs, priv->num_encoders,
+		priv->num_connectors);
+
 	dev->mode_config.min_width = 32;
 	dev->mode_config.min_height = 32;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.h
index d4f997b..215a20d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_drv.h
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ void omap_gem_describe_objects(struct list_head *list, struct seq_file *m);
 int omap_gem_resume(struct device *dev);
 #endif
 
-int omap_irq_enable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc);
-void omap_irq_disable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc);
+int omap_irq_enable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc_id);
+void omap_irq_disable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc_id);
 irqreturn_t omap_irq_handler(DRM_IRQ_ARGS);
 void omap_irq_preinstall(struct drm_device *dev);
 int omap_irq_postinstall(struct drm_device *dev);
@@ -271,39 +271,9 @@ static inline int align_pitch(int pitch, int width, int bpp)
 	return ALIGN(pitch, 8 * bytespp);
 }
 
-static inline enum omap_channel pipe2chan(int pipe)
-{
-	int num_mgrs = dss_feat_get_num_mgrs();
-
-	/*
-	 * We usually don't want to create a CRTC for each manager,
-	 * at least not until we have a way to expose private planes
-	 * to userspace.  Otherwise there would not be enough video
-	 * pipes left for drm planes.  The higher #'d managers tend
-	 * to have more features so start in reverse order.
-	 */
-	return num_mgrs - pipe - 1;
-}
-
 /* map crtc to vblank mask */
-static inline uint32_t pipe2vbl(int crtc)
-{
-	enum omap_channel channel = pipe2chan(crtc);
-	return dispc_mgr_get_vsync_irq(channel);
-}
-
-static inline int crtc2pipe(struct drm_device *dev, struct drm_crtc *crtc)
-{
-	struct omap_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
-	int i;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(priv->crtcs); i++)
-		if (priv->crtcs[i] == crtc)
-			return i;
-
-	BUG();  /* bogus CRTC ptr */
-	return -1;
-}
+uint32_t pipe2vbl(struct drm_crtc *crtc);
+struct omap_dss_device *omap_encoder_get_dssdev(struct drm_encoder *encoder);
 
 /* should these be made into common util helpers?
  */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_encoder.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_encoder.c
index 21d126d..d48df71 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_encoder.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_encoder.c
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ struct omap_encoder {
 	struct omap_dss_device *dssdev;
 };
 
+struct omap_dss_device *omap_encoder_get_dssdev(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
+{
+	struct omap_encoder *omap_encoder = to_omap_encoder(encoder);
+
+	return omap_encoder->dssdev;
+}
+
 static void omap_encoder_destroy(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 {
 	struct omap_encoder *omap_encoder = to_omap_encoder(encoder);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_irq.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_irq.c
index e01303e..9263db1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_irq.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/omapdrm/omap_irq.c
@@ -130,12 +130,13 @@ int omap_irq_wait(struct drm_device *dev, struct omap_irq_wait *wait,
  * Zero on success, appropriate errno if the given @crtc's vblank
  * interrupt cannot be enabled.
  */
-int omap_irq_enable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc)
+int omap_irq_enable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc_id)
 {
 	struct omap_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
+	struct drm_crtc *crtc = priv->crtcs[crtc_id];
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	DBG("dev=%p, crtc=%d", dev, crtc);
+	DBG("dev=%p, crtc=%d", dev, crtc_id);
 
 	dispc_runtime_get();
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&list_lock, flags);
@@ -156,12 +157,13 @@ int omap_irq_enable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc)
  * a hardware vblank counter, this routine should be a no-op, since
  * interrupts will have to stay on to keep the count accurate.
  */
-void omap_irq_disable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc)
+void omap_irq_disable_vblank(struct drm_device *dev, int crtc_id)
 {
 	struct omap_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
+	struct drm_crtc *crtc = priv->crtcs[crtc_id];
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	DBG("dev=%p, crtc=%d", dev, crtc);
+	DBG("dev=%p, crtc=%d", dev, crtc_id);
 
 	dispc_runtime_get();
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&list_lock, flags);
@@ -186,9 +188,12 @@ irqreturn_t omap_irq_handler(DRM_IRQ_ARGS)
 
 	VERB("irqs: %08x", irqstatus);
 
-	for (id = 0; id < priv->num_crtcs; id++)
-		if (irqstatus & pipe2vbl(id))
+	for (id = 0; id < priv->num_crtcs; id++) {
+		struct drm_crtc *crtc = priv->crtcs[id];
+
+		if (irqstatus & pipe2vbl(crtc))
 			drm_handle_vblank(dev, id);
+	}
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&list_lock, flags);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(handler, n, &priv->irq_list, node) {
