diff --git a/drivers/video/backlight/backlight.c b/drivers/video/backlight/backlight.c
index 537fe1b376ad..4ae6fae94ac2 100644
--- a/drivers/video/backlight/backlight.c
+++ b/drivers/video/backlight/backlight.c
@@ -292,10 +292,13 @@ static ssize_t actual_brightness_show(struct device *dev,
 	struct backlight_device *bd = to_backlight_device(dev);
 
 	mutex_lock(&bd->ops_lock);
-	if (bd->ops && bd->ops->get_brightness)
-		rc = sprintf(buf, "%d\n", bd->ops->get_brightness(bd));
-	else
+	if (bd->ops && bd->ops->get_brightness) {
+		rc = bd->ops->get_brightness(bd);
+		if (rc >= 0)
+			rc = sprintf(buf, "%d\n", rc);
+	} else {
 		rc = sprintf(buf, "%d\n", bd->props.brightness);
+	}
 	mutex_unlock(&bd->ops_lock);
 
 	return rc;
@@ -381,9 +384,18 @@ ATTRIBUTE_GROUPS(bl_device);
 void backlight_force_update(struct backlight_device *bd,
 			    enum backlight_update_reason reason)
 {
+	int brightness;
+
 	mutex_lock(&bd->ops_lock);
-	if (bd->ops && bd->ops->get_brightness)
-		bd->props.brightness = bd->ops->get_brightness(bd);
+	if (bd->ops && bd->ops->get_brightness) {
+		brightness = bd->ops->get_brightness(bd);
+		if (brightness >= 0)
+			bd->props.brightness = brightness;
+		else
+			dev_err(&bd->dev,
+				"Could not update brightness from device: %pe\n",
+				ERR_PTR(brightness));
+	}
 	mutex_unlock(&bd->ops_lock);
 	backlight_generate_event(bd, reason);
 }
@@ -688,12 +700,6 @@ static struct backlight_device *of_find_backlight(struct device *dev)
 			of_node_put(np);
 			if (!bd)
 				return ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER);
-			/*
-			 * Note: gpio_backlight uses brightness as
-			 * power state during probe
-			 */
-			if (!bd->props.brightness)
-				bd->props.brightness = bd->props.max_brightness;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.c b/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.c
index 168ac79523d7..2acd2708f8ca 100644
--- a/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.c
+++ b/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.c
@@ -251,10 +251,9 @@ int ili9320_probe_spi(struct spi_device *spi,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ili9320_probe_spi);
 
-int ili9320_remove(struct ili9320 *ili)
+void ili9320_remove(struct ili9320 *ili)
 {
 	ili9320_power(ili, FB_BLANK_POWERDOWN);
-	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ili9320_remove);
 
diff --git a/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.h b/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.h
index fc59e389d59a..8213cc6e9184 100644
--- a/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.h
+++ b/drivers/video/backlight/ili9320.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ extern int ili9320_write_regs(struct ili9320 *ili,
 extern int ili9320_probe_spi(struct spi_device *spi,
 			     struct ili9320_client *cli);
 
-extern int ili9320_remove(struct ili9320 *lcd);
+extern void ili9320_remove(struct ili9320 *lcd);
 extern void ili9320_shutdown(struct ili9320 *lcd);
 
 /* PM */
diff --git a/drivers/video/backlight/vgg2432a4.c b/drivers/video/backlight/vgg2432a4.c
index 9bf277ca4ae9..3567b45f9ba9 100644
--- a/drivers/video/backlight/vgg2432a4.c
+++ b/drivers/video/backlight/vgg2432a4.c
@@ -235,7 +235,9 @@ static int vgg2432a4_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 
 static int vgg2432a4_remove(struct spi_device *spi)
 {
-	return ili9320_remove(spi_get_drvdata(spi));
+	ili9320_remove(spi_get_drvdata(spi));
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void vgg2432a4_shutdown(struct spi_device *spi)