diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
index bc3487964fb5..f7bf1ea62d58 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <drm/drm_damage_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_device.h>
 #include <drm/drm_drv.h>
+#include <drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_plane_helper.h>
 #include <drm/drm_print.h>
 #include <drm/drm_self_refresh_helper.h>
@@ -2405,6 +2406,15 @@ int drm_atomic_helper_prepare_planes(struct drm_device *dev,
 			ret = funcs->prepare_fb(plane, new_plane_state);
 			if (ret)
 				goto fail;
+		} else {
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(funcs->cleanup_fb);
+
+			if (!drm_core_check_feature(dev, DRIVER_GEM))
+				continue;
+
+			ret = drm_gem_plane_helper_prepare_fb(plane, new_plane_state);
+			if (ret)
+				goto fail;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.c
index a27135084ae5..bc9396f2a0ed 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_gem_atomic_helper.c
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@
  * GEM based framebuffer drivers which have their buffers always pinned in
  * memory.
  *
+ * This function is the default implementation for GEM drivers of
+ * &drm_plane_helper_funcs.prepare_fb if no callback is provided.
+ *
  * See drm_atomic_set_fence_for_plane() for a discussion of implicit and
  * explicit fencing in atomic modeset updates.
  */
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h b/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
index f3a4b47b3986..fdfa9f37ce05 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
@@ -1178,8 +1178,11 @@ struct drm_plane_helper_funcs {
 	 * equivalent functionality should be implemented through private
 	 * members in the plane structure.
 	 *
-	 * Drivers which always have their buffers pinned should use
-	 * drm_gem_plane_helper_prepare_fb() for this hook.
+	 * For GEM drivers who neither have a @prepare_fb nor @cleanup_fb hook
+	 * set drm_gem_plane_helper_prepare_fb() is called automatically to
+	 * implement this. Other drivers which need additional plane processing
+	 * can call drm_gem_plane_helper_prepare_fb() from their @prepare_fb
+	 * hook.
 	 *
 	 * The helpers will call @cleanup_fb with matching arguments for every
 	 * successful call to this hook.