diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_display.c
index a4674bfd979a..a885dae22dff 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_display.c
@@ -1670,10 +1670,8 @@ int radeon_modeset_init(struct radeon_device *rdev)
 	/* setup afmt */
 	radeon_afmt_init(rdev);
 
-	if (!list_empty(&rdev->ddev->mode_config.connector_list)) {
-		radeon_fbdev_init(rdev);
-		drm_kms_helper_poll_init(rdev->ddev);
-	}
+	radeon_fbdev_init(rdev);
+	drm_kms_helper_poll_init(rdev->ddev);
 
 	/* do pm late init */
 	ret = radeon_pm_late_init(rdev);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_fb.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_fb.c
index d2e628eea53d..d179596334a7 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_fb.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_fb.c
@@ -292,7 +292,8 @@ out_unref:
 
 void radeon_fb_output_poll_changed(struct radeon_device *rdev)
 {
-	drm_fb_helper_hotplug_event(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper);
+	if (rdev->mode_info.rfbdev)
+		drm_fb_helper_hotplug_event(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper);
 }
 
 static int radeon_fbdev_destroy(struct drm_device *dev, struct radeon_fbdev *rfbdev)
@@ -325,6 +326,10 @@ int radeon_fbdev_init(struct radeon_device *rdev)
 	int bpp_sel = 32;
 	int ret;
 
+	/* don't enable fbdev if no connectors */
+	if (list_empty(&rdev->ddev->mode_config.connector_list))
+		return 0;
+
 	/* select 8 bpp console on RN50 or 16MB cards */
 	if (ASIC_IS_RN50(rdev) || rdev->mc.real_vram_size <= (32*1024*1024))
 		bpp_sel = 8;
@@ -377,11 +382,15 @@ void radeon_fbdev_fini(struct radeon_device *rdev)
 
 void radeon_fbdev_set_suspend(struct radeon_device *rdev, int state)
 {
-	fb_set_suspend(rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper.fbdev, state);
+	if (rdev->mode_info.rfbdev)
+		fb_set_suspend(rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper.fbdev, state);
 }
 
 bool radeon_fbdev_robj_is_fb(struct radeon_device *rdev, struct radeon_bo *robj)
 {
+	if (!rdev->mode_info.rfbdev)
+		return false;
+
 	if (robj == gem_to_radeon_bo(rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->rfb.obj))
 		return true;
 	return false;
@@ -389,12 +398,14 @@ bool radeon_fbdev_robj_is_fb(struct radeon_device *rdev, struct radeon_bo *robj)
 
 void radeon_fb_add_connector(struct radeon_device *rdev, struct drm_connector *connector)
 {
-	drm_fb_helper_add_one_connector(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper, connector);
+	if (rdev->mode_info.rfbdev)
+		drm_fb_helper_add_one_connector(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper, connector);
 }
 
 void radeon_fb_remove_connector(struct radeon_device *rdev, struct drm_connector *connector)
 {
-	drm_fb_helper_remove_one_connector(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper, connector);
+	if (rdev->mode_info.rfbdev)
+		drm_fb_helper_remove_one_connector(&rdev->mode_info.rfbdev->helper, connector);
 }
 
 void radeon_fbdev_restore_mode(struct radeon_device *rdev)