diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_display.c
index cef08da1da4e..6a157763dfc3 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_display.c
@@ -411,7 +411,8 @@ nouveau_display_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 		return ret;
 
 	/* enable polling for external displays */
-	drm_kms_helper_poll_enable(dev);
+	if (!dev->mode_config.poll_enabled)
+		drm_kms_helper_poll_enable(dev);
 
 	/* enable hotplug interrupts */
 	list_for_each_entry(connector, &dev->mode_config.connector_list, head) {
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
index 59348fc41c77..bc85a45f91cd 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
@@ -773,7 +773,10 @@ nouveau_pmops_runtime_resume(struct device *dev)
 	pci_set_master(pdev);
 
 	ret = nouveau_do_resume(drm_dev, true);
-	drm_kms_helper_poll_enable(drm_dev);
+
+	if (!drm_dev->mode_config.poll_enabled)
+		drm_kms_helper_poll_enable(drm_dev);
+
 	/* do magic */
 	nvif_mask(&device->object, 0x088488, (1 << 25), (1 << 25));
 	vga_switcheroo_set_dynamic_switch(pdev, VGA_SWITCHEROO_ON);