diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c
index a1bcaaf71eea..3af1b9cc9a06 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c
@@ -60,8 +60,16 @@
  *
  * Their respective lifetimes are:
  *
- * - at reset time, the object reset implementation allocates a new
- *   default state and stores it in the object state pointer.
+ * - at driver initialization time, the driver calls
+ *   drm_mode_config_create_initial_state() to allocate an initial,
+ *   pristine, state for each object and stores it in the objects state
+ *   pointer. Historically, this was one of drm_mode_config_reset() job,
+ *   so one might still encounter it in a driver.
+ *
+ * - When resuming from suspend, drm_mode_config_reset() resets the
+ *   software and hardware state to a known default and stores it in the
+ *   object's state pointer. Not all objects are affected by
+ *   drm_mode_config_reset() though.
  *
  * - whenever a new update is needed:
  *
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
index 9d240817f8b6..f432f485a914 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <linux/export.h>
 #include <linux/uaccess.h>
 
+#include <drm/drm_atomic.h>
 #include <drm/drm_drv.h>
 #include <drm/drm_encoder.h>
 #include <drm/drm_file.h>
@@ -316,6 +317,94 @@ void drm_mode_config_reset(struct drm_device *dev)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_mode_config_reset);
 
+/**
+ * drm_mode_config_create_initial_state - Allocates the initial state
+ * @dev: drm device
+ *
+ * This functions creates the initial state for all the objects. Drivers
+ * can use this in e.g. probe to initialize their software state.
+ *
+ * It has two main differences with drm_mode_config_reset(): the reset()
+ * hooks aren't called and thus the hardware will be left untouched, but
+ * also the &drm_private_obj structures will be initialized as opposed
+ * to drm_mode_config_reset() that skips them.
+ *
+ * Returns: 0 on success, negative error value on failure.
+ */
+int drm_mode_config_create_initial_state(struct drm_device *dev)
+{
+	struct drm_crtc *crtc;
+	struct drm_colorop *colorop;
+	struct drm_plane *plane;
+	struct drm_connector *connector;
+	struct drm_connector_list_iter conn_iter;
+	struct drm_private_obj *privobj;
+	int ret;
+
+	drm_for_each_privobj(privobj, dev) {
+		struct drm_private_state *privobj_state;
+
+		if (privobj->state)
+			continue;
+
+		if (!privobj->funcs->atomic_create_state)
+			continue;
+
+		privobj_state = privobj->funcs->atomic_create_state(privobj);
+		if (IS_ERR(privobj_state))
+			return PTR_ERR(privobj_state);
+
+		privobj->state = privobj_state;
+	}
+
+	drm_for_each_colorop(colorop, dev) {
+		struct drm_colorop_state *colorop_state;
+
+		if (colorop->state)
+			continue;
+
+		colorop_state = drm_atomic_helper_colorop_create_state(colorop);
+		if (IS_ERR(colorop_state))
+			return PTR_ERR(colorop_state);
+
+		colorop->state = colorop_state;
+	}
+
+	drm_for_each_plane(plane, dev) {
+		if (plane->state)
+			continue;
+
+		ret = drm_mode_config_plane_create_state(plane);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
+	drm_for_each_crtc(crtc, dev) {
+		if (crtc->state)
+			continue;
+
+		ret = drm_mode_config_crtc_create_state(crtc);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
+	drm_connector_list_iter_begin(dev, &conn_iter);
+	drm_for_each_connector_iter(connector, &conn_iter) {
+		if (connector->state)
+			continue;
+
+		ret = drm_mode_config_connector_create_state(connector);
+		if (ret) {
+			drm_connector_list_iter_end(&conn_iter);
+			return ret;
+		}
+	}
+	drm_connector_list_iter_end(&conn_iter);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_mode_config_create_initial_state);
+
 /*
  * Global properties
  */
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_mode_config.h b/include/drm/drm_mode_config.h
index e584652ddf67..d8f5b7e9673e 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_mode_config.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_mode_config.h
@@ -1007,6 +1007,7 @@ static inline int drm_mode_config_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 	return drmm_mode_config_init(dev);
 }
 
+int drm_mode_config_create_initial_state(struct drm_device *dev);
 void drm_mode_config_reset(struct drm_device *dev);
 void drm_mode_config_cleanup(struct drm_device *dev);