diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_helper.c
index 65ff21ae0c271..46d88ef4f59ac 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_helper.c
@@ -733,6 +733,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_dp_set_subconnector_property);
  * @dpcd: A cached copy of the connector's DPCD RX capabilities
  * @desc: A cached copy of the connector's DP descriptor
  *
+ * See also: drm_dp_read_sink_count()
+ *
  * Returns: %True if the (e)DP connector has a valid sink count that should
  * be probed, %false otherwise.
  */
@@ -748,6 +750,30 @@ bool drm_dp_read_sink_count_cap(struct drm_connector *connector,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_dp_read_sink_count_cap);
 
+/**
+ * drm_dp_read_sink_count() - Retrieve the sink count for a given sink
+ * @aux: The DP AUX channel to use
+ *
+ * See also: drm_dp_read_sink_count_cap()
+ *
+ * Returns: The current sink count reported by @aux, or a negative error code
+ * otherwise.
+ */
+int drm_dp_read_sink_count(struct drm_dp_aux *aux)
+{
+	u8 count;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = drm_dp_dpcd_readb(aux, DP_SINK_COUNT, &count);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+	if (ret != 1)
+		return -EIO;
+
+	return DP_GET_SINK_COUNT(count);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_dp_read_sink_count);
+
 /*
  * I2C-over-AUX implementation
  */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_dp.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_dp.c
index 38318ae935f88..0de94fc6289be 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_dp.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_dp.c
@@ -4648,6 +4648,8 @@ intel_dp_has_sink_count(struct intel_dp *intel_dp)
 static bool
 intel_dp_get_dpcd(struct intel_dp *intel_dp)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	if (!intel_dp_read_dpcd(intel_dp))
 		return false;
 
@@ -4664,11 +4666,8 @@ intel_dp_get_dpcd(struct intel_dp *intel_dp)
 	}
 
 	if (intel_dp_has_sink_count(intel_dp)) {
-		u8 count;
-		ssize_t r;
-
-		r = drm_dp_dpcd_readb(&intel_dp->aux, DP_SINK_COUNT, &count);
-		if (r < 1)
+		ret = drm_dp_read_sink_count(&intel_dp->aux);
+		if (ret < 0)
 			return false;
 
 		/*
@@ -4676,7 +4675,7 @@ intel_dp_get_dpcd(struct intel_dp *intel_dp)
 		 * a member variable in intel_dp will track any changes
 		 * between short pulse interrupts.
 		 */
-		intel_dp->sink_count = DP_GET_SINK_COUNT(count);
+		intel_dp->sink_count = ret;
 
 		/*
 		 * SINK_COUNT == 0 and DOWNSTREAM_PORT_PRESENT == 1 implies that
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_dp_helper.h b/include/drm/drm_dp_helper.h
index 4c56ce4dc54fc..bc5cb8c503fbc 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_dp_helper.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_dp_helper.h
@@ -1635,6 +1635,7 @@ struct drm_dp_desc;
 bool drm_dp_read_sink_count_cap(struct drm_connector *connector,
 				const u8 dpcd[DP_RECEIVER_CAP_SIZE],
 				const struct drm_dp_desc *desc);
+int drm_dp_read_sink_count(struct drm_dp_aux *aux);
 
 void drm_dp_remote_aux_init(struct drm_dp_aux *aux);
 void drm_dp_aux_init(struct drm_dp_aux *aux);