diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.c
index 379b435..6c9dd28 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.c
@@ -240,18 +240,18 @@ int mdp4_enable(struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static struct drm_panel *detect_panel(struct drm_device *dev)
+static struct device_node *mdp4_detect_lcdc_panel(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct device_node *endpoint, *panel_node;
 	struct device_node *np = dev->dev->of_node;
-	struct drm_panel *panel = NULL;
 
 	endpoint = of_graph_get_next_endpoint(np, NULL);
 	if (!endpoint) {
-		dev_err(dev->dev, "no valid endpoint\n");
-		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
+		DBG("no endpoint in MDP4 to fetch LVDS panel\n");
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	/* don't proceed if we have an endpoint but no panel_node tied to it */
 	panel_node = of_graph_get_remote_port_parent(endpoint);
 	if (!panel_node) {
 		dev_err(dev->dev, "no valid panel node\n");
@@ -261,13 +261,7 @@ static struct drm_panel *detect_panel(struct drm_device *dev)
 
 	of_node_put(endpoint);
 
-	panel = of_drm_find_panel(panel_node);
-	if (!panel) {
-		of_node_put(panel_node);
-		return ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER);
-	}
-
-	return panel;
+	return panel_node;
 }
 
 static int mdp4_modeset_init_intf(struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms,
@@ -277,18 +271,22 @@ static int mdp4_modeset_init_intf(struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms,
 	struct msm_drm_private *priv = dev->dev_private;
 	struct drm_encoder *encoder;
 	struct drm_connector *connector;
-	struct drm_panel *panel;
+	struct device_node *panel_node;
 	int ret;
 
 	switch (intf_type) {
 	case DRM_MODE_ENCODER_LVDS:
-		panel = detect_panel(dev);
-		if (IS_ERR(panel)) {
-			dev_err(dev->dev, "failed to detect LVDS panel\n");
-			return PTR_ERR(panel);
-		}
-
-		encoder = mdp4_lcdc_encoder_init(dev, panel);
+		/*
+		 * bail out early if:
+		 * - there is no panel node (no need to initialize lcdc
+		 *   encoder and lvds connector), or
+		 * - panel node is a bad pointer
+		 */
+		panel_node = mdp4_detect_lcdc_panel(dev);
+		if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(panel_node))
+			return PTR_ERR(panel_node);
+
+		encoder = mdp4_lcdc_encoder_init(dev, panel_node);
 		if (IS_ERR(encoder)) {
 			dev_err(dev->dev, "failed to construct LCDC encoder\n");
 			return PTR_ERR(encoder);
@@ -297,7 +295,7 @@ static int mdp4_modeset_init_intf(struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms,
 		/* LCDC can be hooked to DMA_P (TODO: Add DMA_S later?) */
 		encoder->possible_crtcs = 1 << DMA_P;
 
-		connector = mdp4_lvds_connector_init(dev, panel, encoder);
+		connector = mdp4_lvds_connector_init(dev, panel_node, encoder);
 		if (IS_ERR(connector)) {
 			dev_err(dev->dev, "failed to initialize LVDS connector\n");
 			return PTR_ERR(connector);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.h
index 8a7f6e1..7d03585 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_kms.h
@@ -212,10 +212,10 @@ struct drm_encoder *mdp4_dtv_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev);
 
 long mdp4_lcdc_round_pixclk(struct drm_encoder *encoder, unsigned long rate);
 struct drm_encoder *mdp4_lcdc_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev,
-		struct drm_panel *panel);
+		struct device_node *panel_node);
 
 struct drm_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
-		struct drm_panel *panel, struct drm_encoder *encoder);
+		struct device_node *panel_node, struct drm_encoder *encoder);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_COMMON_CLK
 struct clk *mpd4_lvds_pll_init(struct drm_device *dev);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lcdc_encoder.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lcdc_encoder.c
index 4cd6e72..1bda2de 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lcdc_encoder.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lcdc_encoder.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 struct mdp4_lcdc_encoder {
 	struct drm_encoder base;
+	struct device_node *panel_node;
 	struct drm_panel *panel;
 	struct clk *lcdc_clk;
 	unsigned long int pixclock;
@@ -338,7 +339,7 @@ static void mdp4_lcdc_encoder_disable(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 	struct mdp4_lcdc_encoder *mdp4_lcdc_encoder =
 			to_mdp4_lcdc_encoder(encoder);
 	struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms = get_kms(encoder);
-	struct drm_panel *panel = mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel;
+	struct drm_panel *panel;
 	int i, ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON(!mdp4_lcdc_encoder->enabled))
@@ -346,6 +347,7 @@ static void mdp4_lcdc_encoder_disable(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 
 	mdp4_write(mdp4_kms, REG_MDP4_LCDC_ENABLE, 0);
 
+	panel = of_drm_find_panel(mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel_node);
 	if (panel) {
 		drm_panel_disable(panel);
 		drm_panel_unprepare(panel);
@@ -381,7 +383,7 @@ static void mdp4_lcdc_encoder_enable(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 			to_mdp4_lcdc_encoder(encoder);
 	unsigned long pc = mdp4_lcdc_encoder->pixclock;
 	struct mdp4_kms *mdp4_kms = get_kms(encoder);
-	struct drm_panel *panel = mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel;
+	struct drm_panel *panel;
 	int i, ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON(mdp4_lcdc_encoder->enabled))
@@ -414,6 +416,7 @@ static void mdp4_lcdc_encoder_enable(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 	if (ret)
 		dev_err(dev->dev, "failed to enable lcdc_clk: %d\n", ret);
 
+	panel = of_drm_find_panel(mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel_node);
 	if (panel) {
 		drm_panel_prepare(panel);
 		drm_panel_enable(panel);
@@ -442,7 +445,7 @@ long mdp4_lcdc_round_pixclk(struct drm_encoder *encoder, unsigned long rate)
 
 /* initialize encoder */
 struct drm_encoder *mdp4_lcdc_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev,
-		struct drm_panel *panel)
+		struct device_node *panel_node)
 {
 	struct drm_encoder *encoder = NULL;
 	struct mdp4_lcdc_encoder *mdp4_lcdc_encoder;
@@ -455,7 +458,7 @@ struct drm_encoder *mdp4_lcdc_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
-	mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel = panel;
+	mdp4_lcdc_encoder->panel_node = panel_node;
 
 	encoder = &mdp4_lcdc_encoder->base;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lvds_connector.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lvds_connector.c
index 9211851..e73e174 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lvds_connector.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/mdp/mdp4/mdp4_lvds_connector.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 struct mdp4_lvds_connector {
 	struct drm_connector base;
 	struct drm_encoder *encoder;
+	struct device_node *panel_node;
 	struct drm_panel *panel;
 };
 #define to_mdp4_lvds_connector(x) container_of(x, struct mdp4_lvds_connector, base)
@@ -33,6 +34,10 @@ static enum drm_connector_status mdp4_lvds_connector_detect(
 	struct mdp4_lvds_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector =
 			to_mdp4_lvds_connector(connector);
 
+	if (!mdp4_lvds_connector->panel)
+		mdp4_lvds_connector->panel =
+			of_drm_find_panel(mdp4_lvds_connector->panel_node);
+
 	return mdp4_lvds_connector->panel ?
 			connector_status_connected :
 			connector_status_disconnected;
@@ -42,10 +47,6 @@ static void mdp4_lvds_connector_destroy(struct drm_connector *connector)
 {
 	struct mdp4_lvds_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector =
 			to_mdp4_lvds_connector(connector);
-	struct drm_panel *panel = mdp4_lvds_connector->panel;
-
-	if (panel)
-		drm_panel_detach(panel);
 
 	drm_connector_unregister(connector);
 	drm_connector_cleanup(connector);
@@ -60,9 +61,14 @@ static int mdp4_lvds_connector_get_modes(struct drm_connector *connector)
 	struct drm_panel *panel = mdp4_lvds_connector->panel;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (panel)
+	if (panel) {
+		drm_panel_attach(panel, connector);
+
 		ret = panel->funcs->get_modes(panel);
 
+		drm_panel_detach(panel);
+	}
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +117,7 @@ static const struct drm_connector_helper_funcs mdp4_lvds_connector_helper_funcs
 
 /* initialize connector */
 struct drm_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
-		struct drm_panel *panel, struct drm_encoder *encoder)
+		struct device_node *panel_node, struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 {
 	struct drm_connector *connector = NULL;
 	struct mdp4_lvds_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector;
@@ -124,7 +130,7 @@ struct drm_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	}
 
 	mdp4_lvds_connector->encoder = encoder;
-	mdp4_lvds_connector->panel = panel;
+	mdp4_lvds_connector->panel_node = panel_node;
 
 	connector = &mdp4_lvds_connector->base;
 
@@ -141,9 +147,6 @@ struct drm_connector *mdp4_lvds_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 
 	drm_mode_connector_attach_encoder(connector, encoder);
 
-	if (panel)
-		drm_panel_attach(panel, connector);
-
 	return connector;
 
 fail:
