diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/tests/drm_hdmi_state_helper_test.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/tests/drm_hdmi_state_helper_test.c
index b976a5e9aef5..8e6eb94075a5 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/tests/drm_hdmi_state_helper_test.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/tests/drm_hdmi_state_helper_test.c
@@ -70,10 +70,17 @@ static int light_up_connector(struct kunit *test,
 	state = drm_kunit_helper_atomic_state_alloc(test, drm, ctx);
 	KUNIT_ASSERT_NOT_ERR_OR_NULL(test, state);
 
+retry:
 	conn_state = drm_atomic_get_connector_state(state, connector);
 	KUNIT_ASSERT_NOT_ERR_OR_NULL(test, conn_state);
 
 	ret = drm_atomic_set_crtc_for_connector(conn_state, crtc);
+	if (ret == -EDEADLK) {
+		drm_atomic_state_clear(state);
+		ret = drm_modeset_backoff(ctx);
+		if (!ret)
+			goto retry;
+	}
 	KUNIT_EXPECT_EQ(test, ret, 0);
 
 	crtc_state = drm_atomic_get_crtc_state(state, crtc);