diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_fb.c b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_fb.c
index 4a70f2da76ae..ba01cffbdaa8 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_fb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/msm/mdss_fb.c
@@ -2629,6 +2629,12 @@ static int mdss_fb_release_all(struct fb_info *info, bool release_all)
 				pr_err("PP release failed ret %d\n", ret);
 		}
 
+		/* reset backlight before blank to prevent backlight from
+		 * enabling ahead of unblank. for some special cases like
+		 * adb shell stop/start.
+		 */
+		mdss_fb_set_backlight(mfd, 0);
+
 		ret = mdss_fb_blank_sub(FB_BLANK_POWERDOWN, info,
 			mfd->op_enable);
 		if (ret) {