diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
index 19ecb749704b..75f84753f6ee 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
@@ -422,6 +422,13 @@ static int drm_helper_probe_get_modes(struct drm_connector *connector)
 
 	count = connector_funcs->get_modes(connector);
 
+	/* The .get_modes() callback should not return negative values. */
+	if (count < 0) {
+		drm_err(connector->dev, ".get_modes() returned %pe\n",
+			ERR_PTR(count));
+		count = 0;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Fallback for when DDC probe failed in drm_get_edid() and thus skipped
 	 * override/firmware EDID.
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h b/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
index 881b03e4dc28..9ed42469540e 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_modeset_helper_vtables.h
@@ -898,7 +898,8 @@ struct drm_connector_helper_funcs {
 	 *
 	 * RETURNS:
 	 *
-	 * The number of modes added by calling drm_mode_probed_add().
+	 * The number of modes added by calling drm_mode_probed_add(). Return 0
+	 * on failures (no modes) instead of negative error codes.
 	 */
 	int (*get_modes)(struct drm_connector *connector);