diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.c b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.c
index 8aca639bfb61..c7cac996e5c0 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.c
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.c
@@ -4364,6 +4364,9 @@ int dsi_panel_device_register(struct platform_device *ctrl_pdev,
 		return rc;
 	}
 
+	/* default state of gpio is false */
+	ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_state = false;
+
 	pinfo->panel_max_fps = mdss_panel_get_framerate(pinfo);
 	pinfo->panel_max_vtotal = mdss_panel_get_vtotal(pinfo);
 
diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.h b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.h
index 335037860ffe..62d88f0af652 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.h
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi.h
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata {
 	int disp_en_gpio;
 	int bklt_en_gpio;
 	bool bklt_en_gpio_invert;
+	bool bklt_en_gpio_state;
 	int lcd_mode_sel_gpio;
 	int bklt_ctrl;	/* backlight ctrl */
 	bool pwm_pmi;
diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi_panel.c b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi_panel.c
index 9faa1531c256..60012c71449c 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi_panel.c
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_dsi_panel.c
@@ -260,16 +260,6 @@ static int mdss_dsi_request_gpios(struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata *ctrl_pdata)
 			rc);
 		goto rst_gpio_err;
 	}
-	if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio)) {
-		rc = gpio_request(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio,
-						"bklt_enable");
-		if (rc) {
-			pr_err("request bklt gpio failed, rc=%d\n",
-				       rc);
-			goto bklt_en_gpio_err;
-		}
-	}
-
 	if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->lcd_mode_sel_gpio)) {
 		rc = gpio_request(ctrl_pdata->lcd_mode_sel_gpio, "mode_sel");
 		if (rc) {
@@ -282,9 +272,6 @@ static int mdss_dsi_request_gpios(struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata *ctrl_pdata)
 	return rc;
 
 lcd_mode_sel_gpio_err:
-	if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio))
-		gpio_free(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio);
-bklt_en_gpio_err:
 	gpio_free(ctrl_pdata->rst_gpio);
 rst_gpio_err:
 	if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->disp_en_gpio))
@@ -293,6 +280,81 @@ disp_en_gpio_err:
 	return rc;
 }
 
+int mdss_dsi_bl_gpio_ctrl(struct mdss_panel_data *pdata, int enable)
+{
+	struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata *ctrl_pdata = NULL;
+	int rc = 0, val = 0;
+
+	if (pdata == NULL) {
+		pr_err("%s: Invalid input data\n", __func__);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	ctrl_pdata = container_of(pdata, struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata,
+				panel_data);
+	if (ctrl_pdata == NULL) {
+		pr_err("%s: Invalid ctrl data\n", __func__);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	/* if gpio is not valid */
+	if (!gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio))
+		return rc;
+
+	pr_debug("%s: enable = %d\n", __func__, enable);
+
+	/*
+	 * if gpio state is false and enable (bl level) is
+	 * non zero then toggle the gpio
+	 */
+	if (!ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_state && enable) {
+		rc = gpio_request(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio, "bklt_enable");
+		if (rc) {
+			pr_err("request bklt gpio failed, rc=%d\n", rc);
+			goto free;
+		}
+
+		if (ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_invert)
+			val = 0;
+		 else
+			val = 1;
+
+		rc = gpio_direction_output(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio, val);
+		if (rc) {
+			pr_err("%s: unable to set dir for bklt gpio val %d\n",
+						__func__, val);
+			goto free;
+		}
+		ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_state = true;
+		goto ret;
+	} else if (ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_state && !enable) {
+		/*
+		 * if gpio state is true and enable (bl level) is
+		 * zero then toggle the gpio
+		 */
+		if (ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_invert)
+			val = 1;
+		 else
+			val = 0;
+
+		rc = gpio_direction_output(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio, val);
+		if (rc)
+			pr_err("%s: unable to set dir for bklt gpio val %d\n",
+						__func__, val);
+		goto free;
+	}
+
+	/* gpio state is true and bl level is non zero */
+	goto ret;
+
+free:
+	pr_debug("%s: free bklt gpio\n", __func__);
+	ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_state = false;
+	gpio_free(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio);
+ret:
+	return rc;
+}
+
 int mdss_dsi_panel_reset(struct mdss_panel_data *pdata, int enable)
 {
 	struct mdss_dsi_ctrl_pdata *ctrl_pdata = NULL;
@@ -362,26 +424,6 @@ int mdss_dsi_panel_reset(struct mdss_panel_data *pdata, int enable)
 				if (pdata->panel_info.rst_seq[++i])
 					usleep_range(pinfo->rst_seq[i] * 1000, pinfo->rst_seq[i] * 1000);
 			}
-
-			if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio)) {
-
-				if (ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_invert) {
-					rc = gpio_direction_output(
-						ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio, 0);
-					gpio_set_value(
-						(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio), 0);
-				} else {
-					rc = gpio_direction_output(
-						ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio, 1);
-					gpio_set_value(
-						(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio), 1);
-				}
-				if (rc) {
-					pr_err("%s: unable to set dir for bklt gpio\n",
-						__func__);
-					goto exit;
-				}
-			}
 		}
 
 		if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->lcd_mode_sel_gpio)) {
@@ -410,15 +452,6 @@ int mdss_dsi_panel_reset(struct mdss_panel_data *pdata, int enable)
 			pr_debug("%s: Reset panel done\n", __func__);
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio)) {
-
-			if (ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio_invert)
-				gpio_set_value((ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio), 1);
-			else
-				gpio_set_value((ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio), 0);
-
-			gpio_free(ctrl_pdata->bklt_en_gpio);
-		}
 		if (gpio_is_valid(ctrl_pdata->disp_en_gpio)) {
 			gpio_set_value((ctrl_pdata->disp_en_gpio), 0);
 			gpio_free(ctrl_pdata->disp_en_gpio);
@@ -801,6 +834,9 @@ static void mdss_dsi_panel_bl_ctrl(struct mdss_panel_data *pdata,
 	if ((bl_level < pdata->panel_info.bl_min) && (bl_level != 0))
 		bl_level = pdata->panel_info.bl_min;
 
+	/* enable the backlight gpio if present */
+	mdss_dsi_bl_gpio_ctrl(pdata, bl_level);
+
 	switch (ctrl_pdata->bklt_ctrl) {
 	case BL_WLED:
 		led_trigger_event(bl_led_trigger, bl_level);