diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
index 5ab86949014f..7e7569b68039 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
@@ -3584,6 +3584,17 @@ void intel_connector_dpms(struct drm_connector *connector, int mode)
 		encoder->connectors_active = false;
 }
 
+/* Simple connector->get_hw_state implementation for encoders that support only
+ * one connector and no cloning and hence the encoder state determines the state
+ * of the connector. */
+bool intel_connector_get_hw_state(struct intel_connector *connector)
+{
+	enum pipe pipe;
+	struct intel_encoder *encoder = connector->encoder;
+
+	return encoder->get_hw_state(encoder, &pipe);
+}
+
 static bool intel_crtc_mode_fixup(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 				  const struct drm_display_mode *mode,
 				  struct drm_display_mode *adjusted_mode)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
index 36991dee2d40..c39c70554891 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
@@ -144,12 +144,19 @@ struct intel_encoder {
 	void (*hot_plug)(struct intel_encoder *);
 	void (*enable)(struct intel_encoder *);
 	void (*disable)(struct intel_encoder *);
+	/* Read out the current hw state of this connector, returning true if
+	 * the encoder is active. If the encoder is enabled it also set the pipe
+	 * it is connected to in the pipe parameter. */
+	bool (*get_hw_state)(struct intel_encoder *, enum pipe *pipe);
 	int crtc_mask;
 };
 
 struct intel_connector {
 	struct drm_connector base;
 	struct intel_encoder *encoder;
+	/* Reads out the current hw, returning true if the connector is enabled
+	 * and active (i.e. dpms ON state). */
+	bool (*get_hw_state)(struct intel_connector *);
 };
 
 struct intel_crtc {
@@ -426,6 +433,7 @@ extern void intel_encoder_disable(struct drm_encoder *encoder);
 extern void intel_encoder_destroy(struct drm_encoder *encoder);
 extern void intel_encoder_dpms(struct intel_encoder *encoder, int mode);
 extern void intel_connector_dpms(struct drm_connector *, int mode);
+extern bool intel_connector_get_hw_state(struct intel_connector *connector);
 
 static inline struct intel_encoder *intel_attached_encoder(struct drm_connector *connector)
 {