diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
index 41d5a99..dfd8392 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem.c
@@ -3214,7 +3214,7 @@ i915_find_fence_reg(struct drm_device *dev)
 	}
 
 	if (avail == NULL)
-		return NULL;
+		goto deadlock;
 
 	/* None available, try to steal one or wait for a user to finish */
 	list_for_each_entry(reg, &dev_priv->mm.fence_list, lru_list) {
@@ -3224,7 +3224,24 @@ i915_find_fence_reg(struct drm_device *dev)
 		return reg;
 	}
 
-	return NULL;
+deadlock:
+	DRM_ERROR("no free fences..\n");
+	{
+		struct intel_crtc *crtc;
+
+		list_for_each_entry(crtc, &dev->mode_config.crtc_list, base.head) {
+			if (atomic_read(&crtc->unpin_work_count) == 0)
+				continue;
+
+			if (crtc->unpin_work)
+				intel_wait_for_vblank(dev, crtc->pipe);
+
+			DRM_ERROR("pending flip, try again\n");
+			return ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+		}
+	}
+
+	return ERR_PTR(-EDEADLK);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -3269,8 +3286,8 @@ i915_gem_object_get_fence(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj)
 		}
 	} else if (enable) {
 		reg = i915_find_fence_reg(dev);
-		if (reg == NULL)
-			return -EDEADLK;
+		if (IS_ERR(reg))
+			return PTR_ERR(reg);
 
 		if (reg->obj) {
 			struct drm_i915_gem_object *old = reg->obj;