diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_mdp_overlay.c b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_mdp_overlay.c
index 9864d611e8e4..c49f4f2a4ad6 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_mdp_overlay.c
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_mdp_overlay.c
@@ -4495,8 +4495,10 @@ static int mdss_bl_scale_config(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd,
 	mfd->bl_scale = data->scale;
 	pr_debug("update scale = %d\n", mfd->bl_scale);
 
-	/* update current backlight to use new scaling*/
-	mdss_fb_set_backlight(mfd, curr_bl);
+	/* Update current backlight to use new scaling, if it is not zero */
+	if (curr_bl)
+		mdss_fb_set_backlight(mfd, curr_bl);
+
 	mutex_unlock(&mfd->bl_lock);
 	return ret;
 }