diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_dp501.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_dp501.c
index 76f07f38b941..749646ae365f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_dp501.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_dp501.c
@@ -4,16 +4,11 @@
 #include "ast_drv.h"
 MODULE_FIRMWARE("ast_dp501_fw.bin");
 
-int ast_load_dp501_microcode(struct drm_device *dev)
+static int ast_load_dp501_microcode(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
-	static char *fw_name = "ast_dp501_fw.bin";
-	int err;
-	err = request_firmware(&ast->dp501_fw, fw_name, dev->dev);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
 
-	return 0;
+	return request_firmware(&ast->dp501_fw, "ast_dp501_fw.bin", dev->dev);
 }
 
 static void send_ack(struct ast_private *ast)
@@ -187,7 +182,7 @@ bool ast_backup_fw(struct drm_device *dev, u8 *addr, u32 size)
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool ast_launch_m68k(struct drm_device *dev)
+static bool ast_launch_m68k(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
 	u32 i, data, len = 0;
@@ -201,7 +196,11 @@ bool ast_launch_m68k(struct drm_device *dev)
 		if (ast->dp501_fw_addr) {
 			fw_addr = ast->dp501_fw_addr;
 			len = 32*1024;
-		} else if (ast->dp501_fw) {
+		} else {
+			if (!ast->dp501_fw &&
+			    ast_load_dp501_microcode(dev) < 0)
+				return false;
+
 			fw_addr = (u8 *)ast->dp501_fw->data;
 			len = ast->dp501_fw->size;
 		}
@@ -432,3 +431,11 @@ void ast_init_3rdtx(struct drm_device *dev)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void ast_release_firmware(struct drm_device *dev)
+{
+	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
+
+	release_firmware(ast->dp501_fw);
+	ast->dp501_fw = NULL;
+}
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
index 8880f0b62e9c..7ded3b84237f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
@@ -401,11 +401,10 @@ void ast_post_gpu(struct drm_device *dev);
 u32 ast_mindwm(struct ast_private *ast, u32 r);
 void ast_moutdwm(struct ast_private *ast, u32 r, u32 v);
 /* ast dp501 */
-int ast_load_dp501_microcode(struct drm_device *dev);
 void ast_set_dp501_video_output(struct drm_device *dev, u8 mode);
-bool ast_launch_m68k(struct drm_device *dev);
 bool ast_backup_fw(struct drm_device *dev, u8 *addr, u32 size);
 bool ast_dp501_read_edid(struct drm_device *dev, u8 *ediddata);
 u8 ast_get_dp501_max_clk(struct drm_device *dev);
 void ast_init_3rdtx(struct drm_device *dev);
+void ast_release_firmware(struct drm_device *dev);
 #endif
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
index 50a8512ea646..9a44cdec3bca 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
@@ -576,6 +576,7 @@ void ast_driver_unload(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
 
+	ast_release_firmware(dev);
 	kfree(ast->dp501_fw_addr);
 	ast_mode_fini(dev);
 	ast_fbdev_fini(dev);