diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
index e183a26cd738ade65faca74f56a455edf89de462..eac54c6db11f407d4f7bf3d8f102982aa3d9c7dc 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
@@ -13331,6 +13331,7 @@ void intel_modeset_setup_hw_state(struct drm_device *dev,
 
 void intel_modeset_gem_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
+	struct drm_i915_private *dev_priv = dev->dev_private;
 	struct drm_crtc *c;
 	struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj;
 
@@ -13338,6 +13339,16 @@ void intel_modeset_gem_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 	intel_init_gt_powersave(dev);
 	mutex_unlock(&dev->struct_mutex);
 
+	/*
+	 * There may be no VBT; and if the BIOS enabled SSC we can
+	 * just keep using it to avoid unnecessary flicker.  Whereas if the
+	 * BIOS isn't using it, don't assume it will work even if the VBT
+	 * indicates as much.
+	 */
+	if (HAS_PCH_IBX(dev) || HAS_PCH_CPT(dev))
+		dev_priv->vbt.lvds_use_ssc = !!(I915_READ(PCH_DREF_CONTROL) &
+						DREF_SSC1_ENABLE);
+
 	intel_modeset_init_hw(dev);
 
 	intel_setup_overlay(dev);