diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
index 8afc0dd7de64..e6a11ca85eaf 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ static int i915_gem_pageflip_info(struct seq_file *m, void *data)
 			seq_printf(m, "No flip due on pipe %c (plane %c)\n",
 				   pipe, plane);
 		} else {
-			if (!work->pending) {
+			if (atomic_read(&work->pending) < INTEL_FLIP_COMPLETE) {
 				seq_printf(m, "Flip queued on pipe %c (plane %c)\n",
 					   pipe, plane);
 			} else {
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static int i915_gem_pageflip_info(struct seq_file *m, void *data)
 				seq_printf(m, "Stall check enabled, ");
 			else
 				seq_printf(m, "Stall check waiting for page flip ioctl, ");
-			seq_printf(m, "%d prepares\n", work->pending);
+			seq_printf(m, "%d prepares\n", atomic_read(&work->pending));
 
 			if (work->old_fb_obj) {
 				struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj = work->old_fb_obj;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
index 6cd3dc94b472..a4dc97f8b9f0 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_irq.c
@@ -1466,7 +1466,9 @@ static void i915_pageflip_stall_check(struct drm_device *dev, int pipe)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&dev->event_lock, flags);
 	work = intel_crtc->unpin_work;
 
-	if (work == NULL || work->pending || !work->enable_stall_check) {
+	if (work == NULL ||
+	    atomic_read(&work->pending) >= INTEL_FLIP_COMPLETE ||
+	    !work->enable_stall_check) {
 		/* Either the pending flip IRQ arrived, or we're too early. Don't check */
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->event_lock, flags);
 		return;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
index 78d12c471472..f8ee3d16109c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c
@@ -6929,11 +6929,18 @@ static void do_intel_finish_page_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&dev->event_lock, flags);
 	work = intel_crtc->unpin_work;
-	if (work == NULL || !work->pending) {
+
+	/* Ensure we don't miss a work->pending update ... */
+	smp_rmb();
+
+	if (work == NULL || atomic_read(&work->pending) < INTEL_FLIP_COMPLETE) {
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->event_lock, flags);
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* and that the unpin work is consistent wrt ->pending. */
+	smp_rmb();
+
 	intel_crtc->unpin_work = NULL;
 
 	if (work->event)
@@ -6977,16 +6984,25 @@ void intel_prepare_page_flip(struct drm_device *dev, int plane)
 		to_intel_crtc(dev_priv->plane_to_crtc_mapping[plane]);
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	/* NB: An MMIO update of the plane base pointer will also
+	 * generate a page-flip completion irq, i.e. every modeset
+	 * is also accompanied by a spurious intel_prepare_page_flip().
+	 */
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&dev->event_lock, flags);
-	if (intel_crtc->unpin_work) {
-		if ((++intel_crtc->unpin_work->pending) > 1)
-			DRM_ERROR("Prepared flip multiple times\n");
-	} else {
-		DRM_DEBUG_DRIVER("preparing flip with no unpin work?\n");
-	}
+	if (intel_crtc->unpin_work)
+		atomic_inc_not_zero(&intel_crtc->unpin_work->pending);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->event_lock, flags);
 }
 
+inline static void intel_mark_page_flip_active(struct intel_crtc *intel_crtc)
+{
+	/* Ensure that the work item is consistent when activating it ... */
+	smp_wmb();
+	atomic_set(&intel_crtc->unpin_work->pending, INTEL_FLIP_PENDING);
+	/* and that it is marked active as soon as the irq could fire. */
+	smp_wmb();
+}
+
 static int intel_gen2_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 				 struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 				 struct drm_framebuffer *fb,
@@ -7020,6 +7036,8 @@ static int intel_gen2_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, fb->pitches[0]);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, obj->gtt_offset + intel_crtc->dspaddr_offset);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, 0); /* aux display base address, unused */
+
+	intel_mark_page_flip_active(intel_crtc);
 	intel_ring_advance(ring);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -7060,6 +7078,7 @@ static int intel_gen3_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, obj->gtt_offset + intel_crtc->dspaddr_offset);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, MI_NOOP);
 
+	intel_mark_page_flip_active(intel_crtc);
 	intel_ring_advance(ring);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -7106,6 +7125,8 @@ static int intel_gen4_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 	pf = 0;
 	pipesrc = I915_READ(PIPESRC(intel_crtc->pipe)) & 0x0fff0fff;
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, pf | pipesrc);
+
+	intel_mark_page_flip_active(intel_crtc);
 	intel_ring_advance(ring);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -7148,6 +7169,8 @@ static int intel_gen6_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 	pf = 0;
 	pipesrc = I915_READ(PIPESRC(intel_crtc->pipe)) & 0x0fff0fff;
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, pf | pipesrc);
+
+	intel_mark_page_flip_active(intel_crtc);
 	intel_ring_advance(ring);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -7202,6 +7225,8 @@ static int intel_gen7_queue_flip(struct drm_device *dev,
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, (fb->pitches[0] | obj->tiling_mode));
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, obj->gtt_offset + intel_crtc->dspaddr_offset);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, (MI_NOOP));
+
+	intel_mark_page_flip_active(intel_crtc);
 	intel_ring_advance(ring);
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
index 522061ca0685..3915ca9abd41 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_drv.h
@@ -401,7 +401,10 @@ struct intel_unpin_work {
 	struct drm_i915_gem_object *old_fb_obj;
 	struct drm_i915_gem_object *pending_flip_obj;
 	struct drm_pending_vblank_event *event;
-	int pending;
+	atomic_t pending;
+#define INTEL_FLIP_INACTIVE	0
+#define INTEL_FLIP_PENDING	1
+#define INTEL_FLIP_COMPLETE	2
 	bool enable_stall_check;
 };