diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
index f47d5710cc95..33b151988747 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
@@ -2666,7 +2666,7 @@ int vmw_kms_fbdev_init_data(struct vmw_private *dev_priv,
 		++i;
 	}
 
-	if (i != unit) {
+	if (&con->head == &dev_priv->dev->mode_config.connector_list) {
 		DRM_ERROR("Could not find initial display unit.\n");
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_unlock;
@@ -2690,13 +2690,13 @@ int vmw_kms_fbdev_init_data(struct vmw_private *dev_priv,
 			break;
 	}
 
-	if (mode->type & DRM_MODE_TYPE_PREFERRED)
-		*p_mode = mode;
-	else {
+	if (&mode->head == &con->modes) {
 		WARN_ONCE(true, "Could not find initial preferred mode.\n");
 		*p_mode = list_first_entry(&con->modes,
 					   struct drm_display_mode,
 					   head);
+	} else {
+		*p_mode = mode;
 	}
 
  out_unlock: