--- a/src/sna/sna_display.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_display.c
@@ -2386,8 +2386,12 @@
 						   sna_output->backlight_active_level);
 	} else {
 		/* Only save the current backlight value if we're going from on to off. */
-		if (oldmode == DPMSModeOn)
-			sna_output->backlight_active_level = sna_output_backlight_get(output);
+		if (oldmode == DPMSModeOn) {
+			int brightness = sna_output_backlight_get(output);
+			if (brightness > 0) {
+				sna_output->backlight_active_level = brightness;
+			}
+		}
 		sna_output_backlight_set(output, 0);
 	}
 }
--- a/src/uxa/intel_display.c
+++ b/src/uxa/intel_display.c
@@ -1095,8 +1095,12 @@
 						   intel_output->backlight_active_level);
 	} else {
 		/* Only save the current backlight value if we're going from on to off. */
-		if (oldmode == DPMSModeOn)
-			intel_output->backlight_active_level = intel_output_backlight_get(output);
+		if (oldmode == DPMSModeOn) {
+			int brightness = intel_output_backlight_get(output);
+			if (brightness > 0) {
+				intel_output->backlight_active_level = brightness;
+			}
+		}
 		intel_output_backlight_set(output, 0);
 	}
 }