diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_cmd.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_cmd.c
index 8a5ae18e0a94..cde5c9735a4b 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_cmd.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_cmd.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (c) 2011-2012, Code Aurora Forum. All rights reserved.
+/* Copyright (c) 2011-2013, The Linux Foundation. All rights reserved.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 and
@@ -275,10 +275,11 @@ int mdp4_dsi_cmd_pipe_commit(int cndx, int wait)
 
 	mdp_update_pm(vctrl->mfd, vctrl->vsync_time);
 
-	if (vp->update_cnt == 0) {
-		mutex_unlock(&vctrl->update_lock);
-		return cnt;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * allow stage_commit without pipes queued
+	 * (vp->update_cnt == 0) to unstage pipes after
+	 * overlay_unset
+	 */
 
 	vctrl->update_ndx++;
 	vctrl->update_ndx &= 0x01;
diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_video.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_video.c
index f31dd9848127..6239cce43a8b 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_video.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dsi_video.c
@@ -170,10 +170,11 @@ int mdp4_dsi_video_pipe_commit(int cndx, int wait)
 
 	mdp_update_pm(vctrl->mfd, vctrl->vsync_time);
 
-	if (vp->update_cnt == 0) {
-		mutex_unlock(&vctrl->update_lock);
-		return cnt;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * allow stage_commit without pipes queued
+	 * (vp->update_cnt == 0) to unstage pipes after
+	 * overlay_unset
+	 */
 
 	vctrl->update_ndx++;
 	vctrl->update_ndx &= 0x01;
@@ -1137,7 +1138,7 @@ void mdp4_dsi_video_overlay(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
 	mdp4_overlay_mdp_perf_upd(mfd, 1);
 
 	cnt = mdp4_dsi_video_pipe_commit(cndx, 0);
-	if (cnt) {
+	if (cnt >= 0) {
 		if (pipe->ov_blt_addr)
 			mdp4_dsi_video_wait4ov(cndx);
 		else
diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dtv.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dtv.c
index 7f3e287098da..34983a4a4f5c 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dtv.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_dtv.c
@@ -188,10 +188,11 @@ int mdp4_dtv_pipe_commit(int cndx, int wait)
 
 	mdp_update_pm(vctrl->mfd, vctrl->vsync_time);
 
-	if (vp->update_cnt == 0) {
-		mutex_unlock(&vctrl->update_lock);
-		return 0;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * allow stage_commit without pipes queued
+	 * (vp->update_cnt == 0) to unstage pipes after
+	 * overlay_unset
+	 */
 
 	vctrl->update_ndx++;
 	vctrl->update_ndx &= 0x01;
diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_lcdc.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_lcdc.c
index 7a320013dabe..9feaaca07470 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_lcdc.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_lcdc.c
@@ -174,10 +174,11 @@ int mdp4_lcdc_pipe_commit(int cndx, int wait)
 
 	mdp_update_pm(vctrl->mfd, vctrl->vsync_time);
 
-	if (vp->update_cnt == 0) {
-		mutex_unlock(&vctrl->update_lock);
-		return 0;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * allow stage_commit without pipes queued
+	 * (vp->update_cnt == 0) to unstage pipes after
+	 * overlay_unset
+	 */
 
 	vctrl->update_ndx++;
 	vctrl->update_ndx &= 0x01;
@@ -977,7 +978,7 @@ void mdp4_lcdc_overlay(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd)
 	mdp4_overlay_mdp_perf_upd(mfd, 1);
 
 	cnt = mdp4_lcdc_pipe_commit(cndx, 0);
-	if (cnt) {
+	if (cnt >= 0) {
 		if (pipe->ov_blt_addr)
 			mdp4_lcdc_wait4ov(cndx);
 		else
diff --git a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_writeback.c b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_writeback.c
index bd20e8215185..82feabaea29b 100644
--- a/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_writeback.c
+++ b/drivers/video/msm/mdp4_overlay_writeback.c
@@ -344,10 +344,11 @@ int mdp4_wfd_pipe_commit(struct msm_fb_data_type *mfd,
 	pipe = vctrl->base_pipe;
 	mixer = pipe->mixer_num;
 
-	if (vp->update_cnt == 0) {
-		mutex_unlock(&vctrl->update_lock);
-		return cnt;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * allow stage_commit without pipes queued
+	 * (vp->update_cnt == 0) to unstage pipes after
+	 * overlay_unset
+	 */
 
 	vctrl->update_ndx++;
 	vctrl->update_ndx &= 0x01;