diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
index 0b095a313c440a50839e8168bb96c60676ee7e8f..735f4f34bcc439dad5e1ada4d625d46ba99f1b3c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.c
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #include <drm/drm_atomic.h>
 #include <drm/drm_atomic_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_bridge.h>
+#include <drm/drm_drv.h>
+#include <drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_managed.h>
 #include <drm/drm_plane_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_probe_helper.h>
@@ -225,8 +227,14 @@ static int drm_simple_kms_plane_prepare_fb(struct drm_plane *plane,
 	struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe;
 
 	pipe = container_of(plane, struct drm_simple_display_pipe, plane);
-	if (!pipe->funcs || !pipe->funcs->prepare_fb)
-		return 0;
+	if (!pipe->funcs || !pipe->funcs->prepare_fb) {
+		if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!drm_core_check_feature(plane->dev, DRIVER_GEM)))
+			return 0;
+
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(pipe->funcs && pipe->funcs->cleanup_fb);
+
+		return drm_gem_simple_display_pipe_prepare_fb(pipe, state);
+	}
 
 	return pipe->funcs->prepare_fb(pipe, state);
 }
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.h b/include/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.h
index ef9944e9c5fce09200c9acbc83a29a36bb33ed3f..cf07132d4ee8657d264fe621d94d8ea658e6ecfd 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_simple_kms_helper.h
@@ -116,8 +116,11 @@ struct drm_simple_display_pipe_funcs {
 	 * the documentation for the &drm_plane_helper_funcs.prepare_fb hook for
 	 * more details.
 	 *
-	 * Drivers which always have their buffers pinned should use
-	 * drm_gem_simple_display_pipe_prepare_fb() for this hook.
+	 * For GEM drivers who neither have a @prepare_fb nor @cleanup_fb hook
+	 * set drm_gem_simple_display_pipe_prepare_fb() is called automatically
+	 * to implement this. Other drivers which need additional plane
+	 * processing can call drm_gem_simple_display_pipe_prepare_fb() from
+	 * their @prepare_fb hook.
 	 */
 	int (*prepare_fb)(struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe,
 			  struct drm_plane_state *plane_state);