diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon.h
index 1710b9e3ef7d..034218c3dbbb 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ extern int radeon_new_pll;
 extern int radeon_dynpm;
 extern int radeon_audio;
 extern int radeon_disp_priority;
+extern int radeon_hw_i2c;
 
 /*
  * Copy from radeon_drv.h so we don't have to include both and have conflicting
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_drv.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_drv.c
index 6fd511eec96c..055a51732dcb 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_drv.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_drv.c
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ int radeon_new_pll = -1;
 int radeon_dynpm = -1;
 int radeon_audio = 1;
 int radeon_disp_priority = 0;
+int radeon_hw_i2c = 0;
 
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(no_wb, "Disable AGP writeback for scratch registers");
 module_param_named(no_wb, radeon_no_wb, int, 0444);
@@ -139,6 +140,9 @@ module_param_named(audio, radeon_audio, int, 0444);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(disp_priority, "Display Priority (0 = auto, 1 = normal, 2 = high)");
 module_param_named(disp_priority, radeon_disp_priority, int, 0444);
 
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(hw_i2c, "hw i2c engine enable (0 = disable)");
+module_param_named(hw_i2c, radeon_hw_i2c, int, 0444);
+
 static int radeon_suspend(struct drm_device *dev, pm_message_t state)
 {
 	drm_radeon_private_t *dev_priv = dev->dev_private;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_i2c.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_i2c.c
index 352110fd68f6..5def6f5dff38 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_i2c.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/radeon/radeon_i2c.c
@@ -879,9 +879,11 @@ struct radeon_i2c_chan *radeon_i2c_create(struct drm_device *dev,
 	i2c->adapter.owner = THIS_MODULE;
 	i2c->dev = dev;
 	i2c_set_adapdata(&i2c->adapter, i2c);
-	if (rec->hw_capable &&
-	    ((rdev->family <= CHIP_RS480) ||
-	     ((rdev->family >= CHIP_RV515) && (rdev->family <= CHIP_R580)))) {
+	if (rec->mm_i2c ||
+	    (rec->hw_capable &&
+	     radeon_hw_i2c &&
+	     ((rdev->family <= CHIP_RS480) ||
+	      ((rdev->family >= CHIP_RV515) && (rdev->family <= CHIP_R580))))) {
 		/* set the radeon hw i2c adapter */
 		sprintf(i2c->adapter.name, "Radeon i2c hw bus %s", name);
 		i2c->adapter.algo = &radeon_i2c_algo;