diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
index de4967c141f0..dec78efa452a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ CFLAGS_i915_pci.o = $(call cc-disable-warning, override-init)
 CFLAGS_display/intel_display_device.o = $(call cc-disable-warning, override-init)
 CFLAGS_display/intel_fbdev.o = $(call cc-disable-warning, override-init)
 
+# Support compiling the display code separately for both i915 and xe
+# drivers. Define I915 when building i915.
+subdir-ccflags-y += -DI915
+
 subdir-ccflags-y += -I$(srctree)/$(src)
 
 # Please keep these build lists sorted!