diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_layer.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_layer.c
index 95d4aaa51a5c08ccee14de10f7b3011d7155984a..a514fe88d4416ad42418527a35df6a5f05a253f1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_layer.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_layer.c
@@ -117,6 +117,11 @@ static void sun4i_backend_layer_atomic_update(struct drm_plane *plane,
 static bool sun4i_layer_format_mod_supported(struct drm_plane *plane,
 					     uint32_t format, uint64_t modifier)
 {
+	struct sun4i_layer *layer = plane_to_sun4i_layer(plane);
+
+	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(layer->backend->frontend))
+		sun4i_backend_format_is_supported(format, modifier);
+
 	return sun4i_backend_format_is_supported(format, modifier) ||
 	       sun4i_frontend_format_is_supported(format, modifier);
 }
@@ -165,6 +170,21 @@ static const uint32_t sun4i_layer_formats[] = {
 	DRM_FORMAT_YVYU,
 };
 
+static const uint32_t sun4i_backend_layer_formats[] = {
+	DRM_FORMAT_ARGB8888,
+	DRM_FORMAT_ARGB4444,
+	DRM_FORMAT_ARGB1555,
+	DRM_FORMAT_RGBA5551,
+	DRM_FORMAT_RGBA4444,
+	DRM_FORMAT_RGB888,
+	DRM_FORMAT_RGB565,
+	DRM_FORMAT_UYVY,
+	DRM_FORMAT_VYUY,
+	DRM_FORMAT_XRGB8888,
+	DRM_FORMAT_YUYV,
+	DRM_FORMAT_YVYU,
+};
+
 static const uint64_t sun4i_layer_modifiers[] = {
 	DRM_FORMAT_MOD_LINEAR,
 	DRM_FORMAT_MOD_ALLWINNER_TILED,
@@ -175,6 +195,9 @@ static struct sun4i_layer *sun4i_layer_init_one(struct drm_device *drm,
 						struct sun4i_backend *backend,
 						enum drm_plane_type type)
 {
+	const uint64_t *modifiers = sun4i_layer_modifiers;
+	const uint32_t *formats = sun4i_layer_formats;
+	unsigned int formats_len = ARRAY_SIZE(sun4i_layer_formats);
 	struct sun4i_layer *layer;
 	int ret;
 
@@ -184,12 +207,17 @@ static struct sun4i_layer *sun4i_layer_init_one(struct drm_device *drm,
 
 	layer->backend = backend;
 
+	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(backend->frontend)) {
+		formats = sun4i_backend_layer_formats;
+		formats_len = ARRAY_SIZE(sun4i_backend_layer_formats);
+		modifiers = NULL;
+	}
+
 	/* possible crtcs are set later */
 	ret = drm_universal_plane_init(drm, &layer->plane, 0,
 				       &sun4i_backend_layer_funcs,
-				       sun4i_layer_formats,
-				       ARRAY_SIZE(sun4i_layer_formats),
-				       sun4i_layer_modifiers, type, NULL);
+				       formats, formats_len,
+				       modifiers, type, NULL);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(drm->dev, "Couldn't initialize layer\n");
 		return ERR_PTR(ret);