diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
index fc35f47e2849e..6132a7917b20c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
@@ -218,11 +218,11 @@ void drm_connector_free_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 }
 
-static int __drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
-				struct drm_connector *connector,
-				const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
-				int connector_type,
-				struct i2c_adapter *ddc)
+static int __drm_connector_init_core(struct drm_device *dev,
+				     struct drm_connector *connector,
+				     const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
+				     int connector_type,
+				     struct i2c_adapter *ddc)
 {
 	struct drm_mode_config *config = &dev->mode_config;
 	int ret;
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ static int __drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	/* provide ddc symlink in sysfs */
 	connector->ddc = ddc;
 
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&connector->head);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&connector->global_connector_list_entry);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&connector->probed_modes);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&connector->modes);
@@ -288,14 +289,6 @@ static int __drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 
 	drm_connector_get_cmdline_mode(connector);
 
-	/* We should add connectors at the end to avoid upsetting the connector
-	 * index too much.
-	 */
-	spin_lock_irq(&config->connector_list_lock);
-	list_add_tail(&connector->head, &config->connector_list);
-	config->num_connector++;
-	spin_unlock_irq(&config->connector_list_lock);
-
 	if (connector_type != DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_VIRTUAL &&
 	    connector_type != DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_WRITEBACK)
 		drm_connector_attach_edid_property(connector);
@@ -332,6 +325,84 @@ static int __drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	return ret;
 }
 
+/**
+ * drm_connector_init_core - Initialize the core state of a preallocated connector
+ * @dev: DRM device
+ * @connector: the connector to init
+ * @funcs: callbacks for this connector
+ * @connector_type: user visible type of the connector
+ *
+ * Initialises the core state of preallocated connector. This is
+ * equivalent to drm_connector_init(), without adding the connector to
+ * drm_mode_config::connector_list. This call must be followed by calling
+ * drm_connector_add() during initialization to expose the connector to
+ * in-kernel users via the above list.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ * Zero on success, error code on failure.
+ */
+int drm_connector_init_core(struct drm_device *dev,
+			    struct drm_connector *connector,
+			    const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
+			    int connector_type)
+{
+	if (drm_WARN_ON(dev, !(funcs && funcs->destroy)))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	return __drm_connector_init_core(dev, connector, funcs, connector_type, NULL);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_init_core);
+
+/**
+ * drm_connector_add - Add the connector
+ * @connector: the connector to add
+ *
+ * Add the connector to the drm_mode_config::connector_list, exposing the
+ * connector to in-kernel users. This call must be preceded by a call to
+ * drm_connector_init_core().
+ */
+void drm_connector_add(struct drm_connector *connector)
+{
+	struct drm_device *dev = connector->dev;
+	struct drm_mode_config *config = &dev->mode_config;
+
+	spin_lock_irq(&config->connector_list_lock);
+	list_add_tail(&connector->head, &config->connector_list);
+	config->num_connector++;
+	spin_unlock_irq(&config->connector_list_lock);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_add);
+
+static void drm_connector_remove(struct drm_connector *connector)
+{
+	struct drm_device *dev = connector->dev;
+
+	if (list_empty(&connector->head))
+		return;
+
+	spin_lock_irq(&dev->mode_config.connector_list_lock);
+	list_del_init(&connector->head);
+	dev->mode_config.num_connector--;
+	spin_unlock_irq(&dev->mode_config.connector_list_lock);
+}
+
+static int __drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
+				struct drm_connector *connector,
+				const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
+				int connector_type,
+				struct i2c_adapter *ddc)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = __drm_connector_init_core(dev, connector, funcs, connector_type, ddc);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	drm_connector_add(connector);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * drm_connector_init - Init a preallocated connector
  * @dev: DRM device
@@ -659,10 +730,8 @@ void drm_connector_cleanup(struct drm_connector *connector)
 	connector->name = NULL;
 	fwnode_handle_put(connector->fwnode);
 	connector->fwnode = NULL;
-	spin_lock_irq(&dev->mode_config.connector_list_lock);
-	list_del(&connector->head);
-	dev->mode_config.num_connector--;
-	spin_unlock_irq(&dev->mode_config.connector_list_lock);
+
+	drm_connector_remove(connector);
 
 	WARN_ON(connector->state && !connector->funcs->atomic_destroy_state);
 	if (connector->state && connector->funcs->atomic_destroy_state)
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_connector.h b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
index e3fa43291f449..8e8d130b40f98 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_connector.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
@@ -2122,6 +2122,11 @@ struct drm_connector {
 
 #define obj_to_connector(x) container_of(x, struct drm_connector, base)
 
+int drm_connector_init_core(struct drm_device *dev,
+			    struct drm_connector *connector,
+			    const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
+			    int connector_type);
+void drm_connector_add(struct drm_connector *connector);
 int drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 		       struct drm_connector *connector,
 		       const struct drm_connector_funcs *funcs,
