diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
index 4706439fb490..3fe60076da05 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
@@ -445,8 +445,9 @@ mode_fixup(struct drm_atomic_state *state)
 		encoder = new_conn_state->best_encoder;
 		funcs = encoder->helper_private;
 
-		ret = drm_bridge_mode_fixup(encoder->bridge, &new_crtc_state->mode,
-				&new_crtc_state->adjusted_mode);
+		ret = drm_bridge_mode_fixup(&encoder->bridge,
+					    &new_crtc_state->mode,
+					    &new_crtc_state->adjusted_mode);
 		if (!ret) {
 			DRM_DEBUG_ATOMIC("Bridge fixup failed\n");
 			return -EINVAL;
@@ -511,7 +512,7 @@ static enum drm_mode_status mode_valid_path(struct drm_connector *connector,
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	ret = drm_bridge_mode_valid(encoder->bridge, mode);
+	ret = drm_bridge_mode_valid(&encoder->bridge, mode);
 	if (ret != MODE_OK) {
 		DRM_DEBUG_ATOMIC("[BRIDGE] mode_valid() failed\n");
 		return ret;
@@ -1030,7 +1031,7 @@ disable_outputs(struct drm_device *dev, struct drm_atomic_state *old_state)
 		 * Each encoder has at most one connector (since we always steal
 		 * it away), so we won't call disable hooks twice.
 		 */
-		drm_atomic_bridge_disable(encoder->bridge, old_state);
+		drm_atomic_bridge_disable(&encoder->bridge, old_state);
 
 		/* Right function depends upon target state. */
 		if (funcs) {
@@ -1044,7 +1045,7 @@ disable_outputs(struct drm_device *dev, struct drm_atomic_state *old_state)
 				funcs->dpms(encoder, DRM_MODE_DPMS_OFF);
 		}
 
-		drm_atomic_bridge_post_disable(encoder->bridge, old_state);
+		drm_atomic_bridge_post_disable(&encoder->bridge, old_state);
 	}
 
 	for_each_oldnew_crtc_in_state(old_state, crtc, old_crtc_state, new_crtc_state, i) {
@@ -1225,7 +1226,7 @@ crtc_set_mode(struct drm_device *dev, struct drm_atomic_state *old_state)
 			funcs->mode_set(encoder, mode, adjusted_mode);
 		}
 
-		drm_bridge_mode_set(encoder->bridge, mode, adjusted_mode);
+		drm_bridge_mode_set(&encoder->bridge, mode, adjusted_mode);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1342,7 +1343,7 @@ void drm_atomic_helper_commit_modeset_enables(struct drm_device *dev,
 		 * Each encoder has at most one connector (since we always steal
 		 * it away), so we won't call enable hooks twice.
 		 */
-		drm_atomic_bridge_pre_enable(encoder->bridge, old_state);
+		drm_atomic_bridge_pre_enable(&encoder->bridge, old_state);
 
 		if (funcs) {
 			if (funcs->atomic_enable)
@@ -1353,7 +1354,7 @@ void drm_atomic_helper_commit_modeset_enables(struct drm_device *dev,
 				funcs->commit(encoder);
 		}
 
-		drm_atomic_bridge_enable(encoder->bridge, old_state);
+		drm_atomic_bridge_enable(&encoder->bridge, old_state);
 	}
 
 	drm_atomic_helper_commit_writebacks(dev, old_state);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_bridge.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_bridge.c
index cba537c99e43..c5d6b17f6790 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_bridge.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_bridge.c
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ int drm_bridge_attach(struct drm_encoder *encoder, struct drm_bridge *bridge,
 
 	if (previous)
 		previous->next = bridge;
-	else
-		encoder->bridge = bridge;
+	else if (bridge != &encoder->bridge)
+		encoder->bridge.next = bridge;
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
index fa3694836c22..c80e33a84605 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_crtc_helper.c
@@ -160,14 +160,14 @@ drm_encoder_disable(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 	if (!encoder_funcs)
 		return;
 
-	drm_bridge_disable(encoder->bridge);
+	drm_bridge_disable(&encoder->bridge);
 
 	if (encoder_funcs->disable)
 		(*encoder_funcs->disable)(encoder);
 	else if (encoder_funcs->dpms)
 		(*encoder_funcs->dpms)(encoder, DRM_MODE_DPMS_OFF);
 
-	drm_bridge_post_disable(encoder->bridge);
+	drm_bridge_post_disable(&encoder->bridge);
 }
 
 static void __drm_helper_disable_unused_functions(struct drm_device *dev)
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ bool drm_crtc_helper_set_mode(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		if (!encoder_funcs)
 			continue;
 
-		ret = drm_bridge_mode_fixup(encoder->bridge,
-			mode, adjusted_mode);
+		ret = drm_bridge_mode_fixup(&encoder->bridge, mode,
+					    adjusted_mode);
 		if (!ret) {
 			DRM_DEBUG_KMS("Bridge fixup failed\n");
 			goto done;
@@ -365,13 +365,13 @@ bool drm_crtc_helper_set_mode(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		if (!encoder_funcs)
 			continue;
 
-		drm_bridge_disable(encoder->bridge);
+		drm_bridge_disable(&encoder->bridge);
 
 		/* Disable the encoders as the first thing we do. */
 		if (encoder_funcs->prepare)
 			encoder_funcs->prepare(encoder);
 
-		drm_bridge_post_disable(encoder->bridge);
+		drm_bridge_post_disable(&encoder->bridge);
 	}
 
 	drm_crtc_prepare_encoders(dev);
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ bool drm_crtc_helper_set_mode(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		if (encoder_funcs->mode_set)
 			encoder_funcs->mode_set(encoder, mode, adjusted_mode);
 
-		drm_bridge_mode_set(encoder->bridge, mode, adjusted_mode);
+		drm_bridge_mode_set(&encoder->bridge, mode, adjusted_mode);
 	}
 
 	/* Now enable the clocks, plane, pipe, and connectors that we set up. */
@@ -414,12 +414,12 @@ bool drm_crtc_helper_set_mode(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		if (!encoder_funcs)
 			continue;
 
-		drm_bridge_pre_enable(encoder->bridge);
+		drm_bridge_pre_enable(&encoder->bridge);
 
 		if (encoder_funcs->commit)
 			encoder_funcs->commit(encoder);
 
-		drm_bridge_enable(encoder->bridge);
+		drm_bridge_enable(&encoder->bridge);
 	}
 
 	/* Calculate and store various constants which
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ static int drm_helper_choose_encoder_dpms(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 /* Helper which handles bridge ordering around encoder dpms */
 static void drm_helper_encoder_dpms(struct drm_encoder *encoder, int mode)
 {
-	struct drm_bridge *bridge = encoder->bridge;
+	struct drm_bridge *bridge = &encoder->bridge;
 	const struct drm_encoder_helper_funcs *encoder_funcs;
 
 	encoder_funcs = encoder->helper_private;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_encoder.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_encoder.c
index 80d88a55302e..686053bf41b9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_encoder.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_encoder.c
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ void drm_encoder_unregister_all(struct drm_device *dev)
 	}
 }
 
+static const struct drm_bridge_funcs dummy_bridge_funcs = {
+};
+
 /**
  * drm_encoder_init - Init a preallocated encoder
  * @dev: drm device
@@ -140,6 +143,13 @@ int drm_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 		goto out_put;
 	}
 
+	if (!encoder->bridge.funcs)
+		encoder->bridge.funcs = &dummy_bridge_funcs;
+
+	ret = drm_bridge_attach(encoder, &encoder->bridge, NULL);
+	if (ret)
+		goto out_put;
+
 	list_add_tail(&encoder->head, &dev->mode_config.encoder_list);
 	encoder->index = dev->mode_config.num_encoder++;
 
@@ -160,21 +170,16 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_encoder_init);
 void drm_encoder_cleanup(struct drm_encoder *encoder)
 {
 	struct drm_device *dev = encoder->dev;
+	struct drm_bridge *bridge, *next;
 
 	/* Note that the encoder_list is considered to be static; should we
 	 * remove the drm_encoder at runtime we would have to decrement all
 	 * the indices on the drm_encoder after us in the encoder_list.
 	 */
 
-	if (encoder->bridge) {
-		struct drm_bridge *bridge = encoder->bridge;
-		struct drm_bridge *next;
-
-		while (bridge) {
-			next = bridge->next;
-			drm_bridge_detach(bridge);
-			bridge = next;
-		}
+	for (bridge = &encoder->bridge; bridge; bridge = next) {
+		next = bridge->next;
+		drm_bridge_detach(bridge);
 	}
 
 	drm_mode_object_unregister(dev, &encoder->base);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
index 351cbc40f0f8..e4af2f9fa372 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ drm_mode_validate_pipeline(struct drm_display_mode *mode,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		ret = drm_bridge_mode_valid(encoder->bridge, mode);
+		ret = drm_bridge_mode_valid(&encoder->bridge, mode);
 		if (ret != MODE_OK) {
 			/* There is also no point in continuing for crtc check
 			 * here. */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/exynos/exynos_drm_dsi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/exynos/exynos_drm_dsi.c
index 72726f2c7a9f..8e655ae1fb0c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/exynos/exynos_drm_dsi.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/exynos/exynos_drm_dsi.c
@@ -1522,7 +1522,7 @@ static int exynos_dsi_host_attach(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 	if (out_bridge) {
 		drm_bridge_attach(encoder, out_bridge, NULL);
 		dsi->out_bridge = out_bridge;
-		encoder->bridge = NULL;
+		encoder->bridge.next = NULL;
 	} else {
 		int ret = exynos_dsi_create_connector(encoder);
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp.c
index 0f312ac5b624..b54559a79d36 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ int msm_edp_modeset_init(struct msm_edp *edp, struct drm_device *dev,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
-	encoder->bridge = edp->bridge;
+	encoder->bridge.next = edp->bridge;
 
 	priv->bridges[priv->num_bridges++]       = edp->bridge;
 	priv->connectors[priv->num_connectors++] = edp->connector;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp_bridge.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp_bridge.c
index 2950bba4aca9..446acca110e9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp_bridge.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/edp/edp_bridge.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static void edp_bridge_mode_set(struct drm_bridge *bridge,
 
 	list_for_each_entry(connector, &dev->mode_config.connector_list, head) {
 		if ((connector->encoder != NULL) &&
-			(connector->encoder->bridge == bridge)) {
+			(connector->encoder->bridge.next == bridge)) {
 			msm_edp_ctrl_timing_cfg(edp->ctrl,
 				adjusted_mode, &connector->display_info);
 			break;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/hdmi/hdmi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/hdmi/hdmi.c
index 0e4217be3f00..9d94a88dd8d6 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/hdmi/hdmi.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/hdmi/hdmi.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ int msm_hdmi_modeset_init(struct hdmi *hdmi,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
-	encoder->bridge = hdmi->bridge;
+	encoder->bridge.next = hdmi->bridge;
 
 	priv->bridges[priv->num_bridges++]       = hdmi->bridge;
 	priv->connectors[priv->num_connectors++] = hdmi->connector;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/rcar-du/rcar_du_crtc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/rcar-du/rcar_du_crtc.c
index 2da46e3dc4ae..1bd748202946 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/rcar-du/rcar_du_crtc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/rcar-du/rcar_du_crtc.c
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ static void rcar_du_crtc_atomic_enable(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		const struct drm_display_mode *mode =
 			&crtc->state->adjusted_mode;
 
-		rcar_lvds_clk_enable(encoder->base.bridge,
+		rcar_lvds_clk_enable(encoder->base.bridge.next,
 				     mode->clock * 1000);
 	}
 
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ static void rcar_du_crtc_atomic_disable(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 		 * Disable the LVDS clock output, see
 		 * rcar_du_crtc_atomic_enable().
 		 */
-		rcar_lvds_clk_disable(encoder->base.bridge);
+		rcar_lvds_clk_disable(encoder->base.bridge.next);
 	}
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&crtc->dev->event_lock);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/vc4/vc4_dsi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/vc4/vc4_dsi.c
index 3f63943e5472..e64b66b1efcd 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/vc4/vc4_dsi.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/vc4/vc4_dsi.c
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ static int vc4_dsi_bind(struct device *dev, struct device *master, void *data)
 	 * from our driver, since we need to sequence them within the
 	 * encoder's enable/disable paths.
 	 */
-	dsi->encoder->bridge = NULL;
+	dsi->encoder->bridge.next = NULL;
 
 	if (dsi->port == 0)
 		vc4_debugfs_add_regset32(drm, "dsi0_regs", &dsi->regset);
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_encoder.h b/include/drm/drm_encoder.h
index 70cfca03d812..30d347c37402 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_encoder.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_encoder.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <drm/drm_bridge.h>
 #include <drm/drm_crtc.h>
 #include <drm/drm_mode.h>
 #include <drm/drm_mode_object.h>
@@ -89,7 +90,6 @@ struct drm_encoder_funcs {
  * @head: list management
  * @base: base KMS object
  * @name: human readable name, can be overwritten by the driver
- * @bridge: bridge associated to the encoder
  * @funcs: control functions
  * @helper_private: mid-layer private data
  *
@@ -172,13 +172,25 @@ struct drm_encoder {
 	 * &drm_connector_state.crtc.
 	 */
 	struct drm_crtc *crtc;
-	struct drm_bridge *bridge;
+
+	/**
+	 * @bridge: Bridge representing our encoder. Other bridges might be
+	 * linked to this dummy bridge element to form an encoder chain.
+	 */
+	struct drm_bridge bridge;
+
 	const struct drm_encoder_funcs *funcs;
 	const struct drm_encoder_helper_funcs *helper_private;
 };
 
 #define obj_to_encoder(x) container_of(x, struct drm_encoder, base)
 
+static inline struct drm_encoder *
+bridge_to_encoder(struct drm_bridge *bridge)
+{
+	return container_of(bridge, struct drm_encoder, bridge);
+}
+
 __printf(5, 6)
 int drm_encoder_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 		     struct drm_encoder *encoder,
