diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdss/mdss_fb.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdss/mdss_fb.c
index 6dcc29d98136154b8365fb2701e86386f1727730..50d033f80df3959fd833b2cfc57d9eace5f30a4c 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdss/mdss_fb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdss/mdss_fb.c
@@ -1152,38 +1152,6 @@ void mdss_fb_update_backlight(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
 	mutex_unlock(&mfd->bl_lock);
 }
 
-static int mdss_fb_start_disp_thread(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
-{
-	int ret = 0;
-
-	pr_debug("%pS: start display thread fb%d\n",
-		__builtin_return_address(0), mfd->index);
-
-	mdss_fb_get_split(mfd);
-
-	atomic_set(&mfd->commits_pending, 0);
-	mfd->disp_thread = kthread_run(__mdss_fb_display_thread,
-				mfd, "mdss_fb%d", mfd->index);
-
-	if (IS_ERR(mfd->disp_thread)) {
-		pr_err("ERROR: unable to start display thread %d\n",
-				mfd->index);
-		ret = PTR_ERR(mfd->disp_thread);
-		mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
-	}
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
-static void mdss_fb_stop_disp_thread(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
-{
-	pr_debug("%pS: stop display thread fb%d\n",
-		__builtin_return_address(0), mfd->index);
-
-	kthread_stop(mfd->disp_thread);
-	mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
-}
-
 static int mdss_fb_blank_blank(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd,
 	int req_power_state)
 {
@@ -1220,9 +1188,6 @@ static int mdss_fb_blank_blank(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd,
 	mfd->op_enable = false;
 	mutex_lock(&mfd->bl_lock);
 	if (mdss_panel_is_power_off(req_power_state)) {
-		/* Stop Display thread */
-		if (mfd->disp_thread)
-			mdss_fb_stop_disp_thread(mfd);
 		mdss_fb_set_backlight(mfd, 0);
 		mfd->bl_updated = 0;
 	}
@@ -1248,13 +1213,6 @@ static int mdss_fb_blank_unblank(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
 	if (!mfd)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	/* Start Display thread */
-	if (mfd->disp_thread == NULL) {
-		ret = mdss_fb_start_disp_thread(mfd);
-		if (IS_ERR_VALUE(ret))
-			return ret;
-	}
-
 	cur_power_state = mfd->panel_power_state;
 	pr_debug("Transitioning from %d --> %d\n", cur_power_state,
 		MDSS_PANEL_POWER_ON);
@@ -1269,10 +1227,8 @@ static int mdss_fb_blank_unblank(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
 		u32 temp;
 
 		ret = mfd->mdp.on_fnc(mfd);
-		if (ret) {
-			mdss_fb_stop_disp_thread(mfd);
+		if (ret)
 			goto error;
-		}
 
 		mfd->panel_power_state = MDSS_PANEL_POWER_ON;
 		mutex_lock(&mfd->update.lock);
@@ -1326,9 +1282,6 @@ static int mdss_fb_blank_sub(int blank_mode, struct fb_info *info,
 	if (mfd->dcm_state == DCM_ENTER)
 		return -EPERM;
 
-	pr_debug("%pS mode:%d\n", __builtin_return_address(0),
-		blank_mode);
-
 	cur_power_state = mfd->panel_power_state;
 
 	/*
@@ -2160,6 +2113,17 @@ static int mdss_fb_open(struct fb_info *info, int user)
 	}
 
 	if (!mfd->ref_cnt) {
+		mdss_fb_get_split(mfd);
+		mfd->disp_thread = kthread_run(__mdss_fb_display_thread, mfd,
+				"mdss_fb%d", mfd->index);
+		if (IS_ERR(mfd->disp_thread)) {
+			pr_err("unable to start display thread %d\n",
+				mfd->index);
+			result = PTR_ERR(mfd->disp_thread);
+			mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
+			goto thread_error;
+		}
+
 		result = mdss_fb_blank_sub(FB_BLANK_UNBLANK, info,
 					   mfd->op_enable);
 		if (result) {
@@ -2175,6 +2139,10 @@ static int mdss_fb_open(struct fb_info *info, int user)
 	return 0;
 
 blank_error:
+	kthread_stop(mfd->disp_thread);
+	mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
+
+thread_error:
 	pm_runtime_put(info->dev);
 
 pm_error:
@@ -2245,6 +2213,11 @@ static int mdss_fb_release_all(struct fb_info *info, bool release_all)
 			pm_runtime_put(info->dev);
 		} while (release_all && pinfo->ref_cnt);
 
+		if (release_all && mfd->disp_thread) {
+			kthread_stop(mfd->disp_thread);
+			mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
+		}
+
 		if (pinfo->ref_cnt == 0) {
 			list_del(&pinfo->list);
 			kfree(pinfo);
@@ -2287,6 +2260,11 @@ static int mdss_fb_release_all(struct fb_info *info, bool release_all)
 	}
 
 	if (!mfd->ref_cnt) {
+		if (mfd->disp_thread) {
+			kthread_stop(mfd->disp_thread);
+			mfd->disp_thread = NULL;
+		}
+
 		if (mfd->mdp.release_fnc) {
 			ret = mfd->mdp.release_fnc(mfd, true);
 			if (ret)