diff --git a/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft-core.c b/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft-core.c
index 0e36b66ae5f75..731e47149af80 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft-core.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft-core.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static int fbtft_request_gpios_dt(struct fbtft_par *par)
 static int fbtft_backlight_update_status(struct backlight_device *bd)
 {
 	struct fbtft_par *par = bl_get_data(bd);
-	bool polarity = !!(bd->props.state & BL_CORE_DRIVER1);
+	bool polarity = par->polarity;
 
 	fbtft_par_dbg(DEBUG_BACKLIGHT, par,
 		"%s: polarity=%d, power=%d, fb_blank=%d\n",
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ void fbtft_register_backlight(struct fbtft_par *par)
 	/* Assume backlight is off, get polarity from current state of pin */
 	bl_props.power = FB_BLANK_POWERDOWN;
 	if (!gpio_get_value(par->gpio.led[0]))
-		bl_props.state |= BL_CORE_DRIVER1;
+		par->polarity = true;
 
 	bd = backlight_device_register(dev_driver_string(par->info->device),
 				       par->info->device, par,
diff --git a/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft.h b/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft.h
index e19e64e0d094c..c7cb4a7896f47 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/fbtft/fbtft.h
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ struct fbtft_par {
 	ktime_t update_time;
 	bool bgr;
 	void *extra;
+	bool polarity;
 };
 
 #define NUMARGS(...)  (sizeof((int[]){__VA_ARGS__})/sizeof(int))