diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/dev.h b/drivers/gpu/host1x/dev.h
index a1607d6e135b..790ddf114e58 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/dev.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/dev.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ struct host1x_syncpt_ops {
 	void (*restore_wait_base)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt);
 	void (*load_wait_base)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt);
 	u32 (*load)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt);
-	void (*cpu_incr)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt);
+	int (*cpu_incr)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt);
 	int (*patch_wait)(struct host1x_syncpt *syncpt, void *patch_addr);
 };
 
@@ -157,10 +157,10 @@ static inline u32 host1x_hw_syncpt_load(struct host1x *host,
 	return host->syncpt_op->load(sp);
 }
 
-static inline void host1x_hw_syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x *host,
-					     struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
+static inline int host1x_hw_syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x *host,
+					    struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
 {
-	host->syncpt_op->cpu_incr(sp);
+	return host->syncpt_op->cpu_incr(sp);
 }
 
 static inline int host1x_hw_syncpt_patch_wait(struct host1x *host,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/drm/drm.c b/drivers/gpu/host1x/drm/drm.c
index c171a07f47bf..e184b00faacd 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/drm/drm.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/drm/drm.c
@@ -387,8 +387,7 @@ static int tegra_syncpt_incr(struct drm_device *drm, void *data,
 	if (!sp)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	host1x_syncpt_incr(sp);
-	return 0;
+	return host1x_syncpt_incr(sp);
 }
 
 static int tegra_syncpt_wait(struct drm_device *drm, void *data,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/cdma_hw.c b/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/cdma_hw.c
index 590b69d91dab..2ee4ad55c4db 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/cdma_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/cdma_hw.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static void cdma_timeout_cpu_incr(struct host1x_cdma *cdma, u32 getptr,
 	u32 i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < syncpt_incrs; i++)
-		host1x_syncpt_cpu_incr(cdma->timeout.syncpt);
+		host1x_syncpt_incr(cdma->timeout.syncpt);
 
 	/* after CPU incr, ensure shadow is up to date */
 	host1x_syncpt_load(cdma->timeout.syncpt);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/syncpt_hw.c b/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/syncpt_hw.c
index 61174990102a..0cf6095d3367 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/syncpt_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/hw/syncpt_hw.c
@@ -77,21 +77,19 @@ static u32 syncpt_load(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
  * Write a cpu syncpoint increment to the hardware, without touching
  * the cache.
  */
-static void syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
+static int syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
 {
 	struct host1x *host = sp->host;
 	u32 reg_offset = sp->id / 32;
 
 	if (!host1x_syncpt_client_managed(sp) &&
-	    host1x_syncpt_idle(sp)) {
-		dev_err(host->dev, "Trying to increment syncpoint id %d beyond max\n",
-			sp->id);
-		host1x_debug_dump(sp->host);
-		return;
-	}
+	    host1x_syncpt_idle(sp))
+		return -EINVAL;
 	host1x_sync_writel(host, BIT_MASK(sp->id),
 			   HOST1X_SYNC_SYNCPT_CPU_INCR(reg_offset));
 	wmb();
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /* remove a wait pointed to by patch_addr */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.c b/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.c
index 27201b51d808..409745b949db 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.c
@@ -128,23 +128,12 @@ u32 host1x_syncpt_load_wait_base(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
 	return val;
 }
 
-/*
- * Write a cpu syncpoint increment to the hardware, without touching
- * the cache. Caller is responsible for host being powered.
- */
-void host1x_syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
-{
-	host1x_hw_syncpt_cpu_incr(sp->host, sp);
-}
-
 /*
  * Increment syncpoint value from cpu, updating cache
  */
-void host1x_syncpt_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
+int host1x_syncpt_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
 {
-	if (host1x_syncpt_client_managed(sp))
-		host1x_syncpt_incr_max(sp, 1);
-	host1x_syncpt_cpu_incr(sp);
+	return host1x_hw_syncpt_cpu_incr(sp->host, sp);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.h b/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.h
index d00e758352eb..267c0b9d3647 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/host1x/syncpt.h
@@ -115,9 +115,6 @@ static inline bool host1x_syncpt_idle(struct host1x_syncpt *sp)
 /* Return pointer to struct denoting sync point id. */
 struct host1x_syncpt *host1x_syncpt_get(struct host1x *host, u32 id);
 
-/* Request incrementing a sync point. */
-void host1x_syncpt_cpu_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp);
-
 /* Load current value from hardware to the shadow register. */
 u32 host1x_syncpt_load(struct host1x_syncpt *sp);
 
@@ -133,8 +130,8 @@ void host1x_syncpt_restore(struct host1x *host);
 /* Read current wait base value into shadow register and return it. */
 u32 host1x_syncpt_load_wait_base(struct host1x_syncpt *sp);
 
-/* Increment sync point and its max. */
-void host1x_syncpt_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp);
+/* Request incrementing a sync point. */
+int host1x_syncpt_incr(struct host1x_syncpt *sp);
 
 /* Indicate future operations by incrementing the sync point max. */
 u32 host1x_syncpt_incr_max(struct host1x_syncpt *sp, u32 incrs);