diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_gt.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_gt.c
index 245117e67e9b..6322e0689a9e 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_gt.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_gt.c
@@ -379,9 +379,9 @@ static int gt_fw_domain_init(struct xe_gt *gt)
 			goto err_force_wake;
 	}
 
-	/* Allow driver to load if uC init fails (likely missing firmware) */
 	err = xe_uc_init(&gt->uc);
-	XE_WARN_ON(err);
+	if (err)
+		goto err_force_wake;
 
 	err = xe_uc_init_hwconfig(&gt->uc);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_uc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_uc.c
index 4ccf2b3435e1..70eabf567156 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_uc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_uc.c
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ int xe_uc_init(struct xe_uc *uc)
 	return 0;
 
 err:
-	/* If any uC firmwares not found, fall back to execlists */
-	xe_device_guc_submission_disable(uc_to_xe(uc));
-
 	return ret;
 }