diff --git a/src/intel_display.c b/src/intel_display.c
index 2183f4de..5ad8625e 100644
--- a/src/intel_display.c
+++ b/src/intel_display.c
@@ -944,13 +944,19 @@ intel_output_dpms(xf86OutputPtr output, int dpms)
 			continue;
 
 		if (!strcmp(props->name, "DPMS")) {
+			/* Make sure to reverse the order between on and off. */
+			if (dpms == DPMSModeOff)
+				intel_output_dpms_backlight(output,
+							    intel_output->dpms_mode,
+							    dpms);
 			drmModeConnectorSetProperty(mode->fd,
 						    intel_output->output_id,
 						    props->prop_id,
 						    dpms);
-			intel_output_dpms_backlight(output,
-						      intel_output->dpms_mode,
-						      dpms);
+			if (dpms != DPMSModeOff)
+				intel_output_dpms_backlight(output,
+							    intel_output->dpms_mode,
+							    dpms);
 			intel_output->dpms_mode = dpms;
 			drmModeFreeProperty(props);
 			return;
diff --git a/src/sna/sna_display.c b/src/sna/sna_display.c
index 32162ef2..b1550a24 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_display.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_display.c
@@ -1142,13 +1142,28 @@ sna_output_dpms(xf86OutputPtr output, int dpms)
 			continue;
 
 		if (!strcmp(props->name, "DPMS")) {
+			/* Record thevalue of the backlight before turning
+			 * off the display, and reset if after turnging it on.
+			 * Order is important as the kernel may record and also
+			 * reset the backlight across DPMS. Hence we need to
+			 * record the value before the kernel modifies it
+			 * and reapply it afterwards.
+			 */
+			if (dpms == DPMSModeOff)
+				sna_output_dpms_backlight(output,
+							  sna_output->dpms_mode,
+							  dpms);
+
 			drmModeConnectorSetProperty(sna->kgem.fd,
 						    sna_output->output_id,
 						    props->prop_id,
 						    dpms);
-			sna_output_dpms_backlight(output,
-						      sna_output->dpms_mode,
-						      dpms);
+
+			if (dpms != DPMSModeOff)
+				sna_output_dpms_backlight(output,
+							  sna_output->dpms_mode,
+							  dpms);
+
 			sna_output->dpms_mode = dpms;
 			drmModeFreeProperty(props);
 			return;