diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_backlight.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_backlight.c
index 4b0086ee48519..60f91ac7d1427 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_backlight.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_backlight.c
@@ -966,26 +966,24 @@ int intel_backlight_device_register(struct intel_connector *connector)
 	if (!name)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	bd = backlight_device_register(name, connector->base.kdev, connector,
-				       &intel_backlight_device_ops, &props);
-
-	/*
-	 * Using the same name independent of the drm device or connector
-	 * prevents registration of multiple backlight devices in the
-	 * driver. However, we need to use the default name for backward
-	 * compatibility. Use unique names for subsequent backlight devices as a
-	 * fallback when the default name already exists.
-	 */
-	if (IS_ERR(bd) && PTR_ERR(bd) == -EEXIST) {
+	bd = backlight_device_get_by_name(name);
+	if (bd) {
+		put_device(&bd->dev);
+		/*
+		 * Using the same name independent of the drm device or connector
+		 * prevents registration of multiple backlight devices in the
+		 * driver. However, we need to use the default name for backward
+		 * compatibility. Use unique names for subsequent backlight devices as a
+		 * fallback when the default name already exists.
+		 */
 		kfree(name);
 		name = kasprintf(GFP_KERNEL, "card%d-%s-backlight",
 				 i915->drm.primary->index, connector->base.name);
 		if (!name)
 			return -ENOMEM;
-
-		bd = backlight_device_register(name, connector->base.kdev, connector,
-					       &intel_backlight_device_ops, &props);
 	}
+	bd = backlight_device_register(name, connector->base.kdev, connector,
+				       &intel_backlight_device_ops, &props);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(bd)) {
 		drm_err(&i915->drm,