diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_irq_kms.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_irq_kms.c
index 1162bfa464f3..171d3e43c30c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_irq_kms.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_irq_kms.c
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ static void radeon_hotplug_work_func(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct drm_mode_config *mode_config = &dev->mode_config;
 	struct drm_connector *connector;
 
+	/* we can race here at startup, some boards seem to trigger
+	 * hotplug irqs when they shouldn't. */
+	if (!rdev->mode_info.mode_config_initialized)
+		return;
+
 	mutex_lock(&mode_config->mutex);
 	if (mode_config->num_connector) {
 		list_for_each_entry(connector, &mode_config->connector_list, head)