diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
index 666d07c..4955db9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
@@ -2270,6 +2270,8 @@ struct drm_i915_gem_request {
 int i915_gem_request_alloc(struct intel_engine_cs *ring,
 			   struct intel_context *ctx,
 			   struct drm_i915_gem_request **req_out);
+struct drm_i915_gem_request * __must_check
+	i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(struct intel_engine_cs *ring);
 void i915_gem_request_cancel(struct drm_i915_gem_request *req);
 void i915_gem_request_free(struct kref *req_ref);
 int i915_gem_request_add_to_client(struct drm_i915_gem_request *req,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
index be1f984..9f9c0c0 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
@@ -2751,6 +2751,21 @@ err:
 	return ret;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Allocate a request associated with the default context for the given
+ * ring. This can be used where the driver needs a request for internal
+ * purposes not directly related to a user batch submission.
+ */
+struct drm_i915_gem_request *
+i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(struct intel_engine_cs *ring)
+{
+	struct drm_i915_gem_request *req;
+	int err;
+
+	err = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
+	return err ? ERR_PTR(err) : req;
+}
+
 void i915_gem_request_cancel(struct drm_i915_gem_request *req)
 {
 	intel_ring_reserved_space_cancel(req->ringbuf);
@@ -3168,9 +3183,13 @@ __i915_gem_object_sync(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj,
 			return 0;
 
 		if (*to_req == NULL) {
-			ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(to, to->default_context, to_req);
-			if (ret)
-				return ret;
+			struct drm_i915_gem_request *req;
+
+			req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(to);
+			if (IS_ERR(req))
+				return PTR_ERR(req);
+
+			*to_req = req;
 		}
 
 		trace_i915_gem_ring_sync_to(*to_req, from, from_req);
@@ -3370,9 +3389,9 @@ int i915_gpu_idle(struct drm_device *dev)
 		if (!i915.enable_execlists) {
 			struct drm_i915_gem_request *req;
 
-			ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-			if (ret)
-				return ret;
+			req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+			if (IS_ERR(req))
+				return PTR_ERR(req);
 
 			ret = i915_switch_context(req);
 			if (ret) {
@@ -4867,8 +4886,9 @@ i915_gem_init_hw(struct drm_device *dev)
 	for_each_ring(ring, dev_priv, i) {
 		struct drm_i915_gem_request *req;
 
-		ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-		if (ret) {
+		req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+		if (IS_ERR(req)) {
+			ret = PTR_ERR(req);
 			i915_gem_cleanup_ringbuffer(dev);
 			goto out;
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
index abd2d29..5716f4a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
@@ -11662,9 +11662,11 @@ static int intel_crtc_page_flip(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 					obj->last_write_req);
 	} else {
 		if (!request) {
-			ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &request);
-			if (ret)
+			request = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+			if (IS_ERR(request)) {
+				ret = PTR_ERR(request);
 				goto cleanup_unpin;
+			}
 		}
 
 		ret = dev_priv->display.queue_flip(dev, crtc, fb, obj, request,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
index 76f1980..57cd503 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ static int intel_overlay_on(struct intel_overlay *overlay)
 	WARN_ON(overlay->active);
 	WARN_ON(IS_I830(dev) && !(dev_priv->quirks & QUIRK_PIPEA_FORCE));
 
-	ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+	req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+	if (IS_ERR(req))
+		return PTR_ERR(req);
 
 	ret = intel_ring_begin(req, 4);
 	if (ret) {
@@ -283,9 +283,9 @@ static int intel_overlay_continue(struct intel_overlay *overlay,
 	if (tmp & (1 << 17))
 		DRM_DEBUG("overlay underrun, DOVSTA: %x\n", tmp);
 
-	ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+	req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+	if (IS_ERR(req))
+		return PTR_ERR(req);
 
 	ret = intel_ring_begin(req, 2);
 	if (ret) {
@@ -349,9 +349,9 @@ static int intel_overlay_off(struct intel_overlay *overlay)
 	 * of the hw. Do it in both cases */
 	flip_addr |= OFC_UPDATE;
 
-	ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+	req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+	if (IS_ERR(req))
+		return PTR_ERR(req);
 
 	ret = intel_ring_begin(req, 6);
 	if (ret) {
@@ -423,9 +423,9 @@ static int intel_overlay_release_old_vid(struct intel_overlay *overlay)
 		/* synchronous slowpath */
 		struct drm_i915_gem_request *req;
 
-		ret = i915_gem_request_alloc(ring, ring->default_context, &req);
-		if (ret)
-			return ret;
+		req = i915_gem_request_alloc_anon(ring);
+		if (IS_ERR(req))
+			return PTR_ERR(req);
 
 		ret = intel_ring_begin(req, 2);
 		if (ret) {
