diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c b/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
index 17bfc7ee2..da372383d 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
@@ -1882,6 +1882,26 @@ get_driver_info (int    fd,
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+static void
+maybe_inhibit_deadline_timer (MetaKmsImplDevice *impl_device)
+{
+  MetaKmsImplDevicePrivate *priv =
+    meta_kms_impl_device_get_instance_private (impl_device);
+  static const char *deadline_timer_deny_list[] = {
+    "vc4",
+  };
+  int i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (deadline_timer_deny_list); i++)
+    {
+      if (g_strcmp0 (deadline_timer_deny_list[i], priv->driver_name) == 0)
+        {
+          priv->deadline_timer_inhibited = TRUE;
+          break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 static gboolean
 meta_kms_impl_device_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
                                     GCancellable  *cancellable,
@@ -1907,6 +1927,8 @@ meta_kms_impl_device_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
       priv->driver_description = g_strdup ("Unknown");
     }
 
+  maybe_inhibit_deadline_timer (impl_device);
+
   priv->crtc_frames =
     g_hash_table_new_full (NULL, NULL,
                            NULL, (GDestroyNotify) crtc_frame_free);