diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_display.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_display.c
index 363fa5ca4b45..cac660ac8803 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_display.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_display.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ void mcde_display_irq(struct mcde *mcde)
 		 * the update function is called, then we disable the
 		 * flow on the channel once we get the TE IRQ.
 		 */
-		if (mcde->oneshot_mode) {
+		if (mcde->flow_mode == MCDE_COMMAND_ONESHOT_FLOW) {
 			spin_lock(&mcde->flow_lock);
 			if (--mcde->flow_active == 0) {
 				dev_dbg(mcde->dev, "TE0 IRQ\n");
@@ -498,19 +498,47 @@ static void mcde_configure_channel(struct mcde *mcde, enum mcde_channel ch,
 	}
 
 	/* Set up channel 0 sync (based on chnl_update_registers()) */
-	if (mcde->video_mode || mcde->te_sync)
+	switch (mcde->flow_mode) {
+	case MCDE_COMMAND_ONESHOT_FLOW:
+		/* Oneshot is achieved with software sync */
+		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SOFTWARE
+			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SHIFT;
+		break;
+	case MCDE_COMMAND_TE_FLOW:
 		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_HARDWARE
 			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SHIFT;
-	else
-		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SOFTWARE
+		val |= MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_TE0
+			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_SHIFT;
+		break;
+	case MCDE_COMMAND_BTA_TE_FLOW:
+		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_HARDWARE
+			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SHIFT;
+		/*
+		 * TODO:
+		 * The vendor driver uses the formatter as sync source
+		 * for BTA TE mode. Test to use TE if you have a panel
+		 * that uses this mode.
+		 */
+		val |= MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_FORMATTER
+			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_SHIFT;
+		break;
+	case MCDE_VIDEO_TE_FLOW:
+		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_HARDWARE
 			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SHIFT;
-
-	if (mcde->te_sync)
 		val |= MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_TE0
 			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_SHIFT;
-	else
+		break;
+	case MCDE_VIDEO_FORMATTER_FLOW:
+		val = MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_HARDWARE
+			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_SRC_SYNCH_SHIFT;
 		val |= MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_FORMATTER
 			<< MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHMOD_OUT_SYNCH_SRC_SHIFT;
+		break;
+	default:
+		dev_err(mcde->dev, "unknown flow mode %d\n",
+			mcde->flow_mode);
+		break;
+	}
 
 	writel(val, mcde->regs + sync);
 
@@ -920,7 +948,11 @@ static void mcde_display_enable(struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe,
 	mcde_configure_dsi_formatter(mcde, MCDE_DSI_FORMATTER_0,
 				     formatter_frame, pkt_size);
 
-	if (mcde->te_sync) {
+	switch (mcde->flow_mode) {
+	case MCDE_COMMAND_TE_FLOW:
+	case MCDE_COMMAND_BTA_TE_FLOW:
+	case MCDE_VIDEO_TE_FLOW:
+		/* We are using TE in some comination */
 		if (mode->flags & DRM_MODE_FLAG_NVSYNC)
 			val = MCDE_VSCRC_VSPOL;
 		else
@@ -930,16 +962,22 @@ static void mcde_display_enable(struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe,
 		val = readl(mcde->regs + MCDE_CRC);
 		val |= MCDE_CRC_SYCEN0;
 		writel(val, mcde->regs + MCDE_CRC);
+		break;
+	default:
+		/* No TE capture */
+		break;
 	}
 
 	drm_crtc_vblank_on(crtc);
 
-	if (mcde->video_mode)
+	if (mcde_flow_is_video(mcde)) {
 		/*
 		 * Keep FIFO permanently enabled in video mode,
 		 * otherwise MCDE will stop feeding data to the panel.
 		 */
 		mcde_enable_fifo(mcde, MCDE_FIFO_A);
+		dev_dbg(mcde->dev, "started MCDE video FIFO flow\n");
+	}
 
 	dev_info(drm->dev, "MCDE display is enabled\n");
 }
@@ -970,38 +1008,36 @@ static void mcde_display_disable(struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe)
 
 static void mcde_start_flow(struct mcde *mcde)
 {
-	/* Request a TE ACK */
-	if (mcde->te_sync)
+	/* Request a TE ACK only in TE+BTA mode */
+	if (mcde->flow_mode == MCDE_COMMAND_BTA_TE_FLOW)
 		mcde_dsi_te_request(mcde->mdsi);
 
 	/* Enable FIFO A flow */
 	mcde_enable_fifo(mcde, MCDE_FIFO_A);
 
-	if (mcde->te_sync) {
+	/*
+	 * If oneshot mode is enabled, the flow will be disabled
+	 * when the TE0 IRQ arrives in the interrupt handler. Otherwise
+	 * updates are continuously streamed to the display after this
+	 * point.
+	 */
+
+	if (mcde->flow_mode == MCDE_COMMAND_ONESHOT_FLOW) {
+		/* Trigger a software sync out on channel 0 */
+		writel(MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHSW_SW_TRIG,
+		       mcde->regs + MCDE_CHNL0SYNCHSW);
+
 		/*
-		 * If oneshot mode is enabled, the flow will be disabled
-		 * when the TE0 IRQ arrives in the interrupt handler. Otherwise
-		 * updates are continuously streamed to the display after this
-		 * point.
+		 * Disable FIFO A flow again: since we are using TE sync we
+		 * need to wait for the FIFO to drain before we continue
+		 * so repeated calls to this function will not cause a mess
+		 * in the hardware by pushing updates will updates are going
+		 * on already.
 		 */
-		dev_dbg(mcde->dev, "sent TE0 framebuffer update\n");
-		return;
+		mcde_disable_fifo(mcde, MCDE_FIFO_A, true);
 	}
 
-	/* Trigger a software sync out on channel 0 */
-	writel(MCDE_CHNLXSYNCHSW_SW_TRIG,
-	       mcde->regs + MCDE_CHNL0SYNCHSW);
-
-	/*
-	 * Disable FIFO A flow again: since we are using TE sync we
-	 * need to wait for the FIFO to drain before we continue
-	 * so repeated calls to this function will not cause a mess
-	 * in the hardware by pushing updates will updates are going
-	 * on already.
-	 */
-	mcde_disable_fifo(mcde, MCDE_FIFO_A, true);
-
-	dev_dbg(mcde->dev, "sent SW framebuffer update\n");
+	dev_dbg(mcde->dev, "started MCDE FIFO flow\n");
 }
 
 static void mcde_set_extsrc(struct mcde *mcde, u32 buffer_address)
@@ -1060,15 +1096,10 @@ static void mcde_display_update(struct drm_simple_display_pipe *pipe,
 	 */
 	if (fb) {
 		mcde_set_extsrc(mcde, drm_fb_cma_get_gem_addr(fb, pstate, 0));
-		if (!mcde->video_mode) {
-			/*
-			 * Send a single frame using software sync if the flow
-			 * is not active yet.
-			 */
-			if (mcde->flow_active == 0)
-				mcde_start_flow(mcde);
-		}
-		dev_info_once(mcde->dev, "sent first display update\n");
+		dev_info_once(mcde->dev, "first update of display contents\n");
+		/* The flow is already active in video mode */
+		if (!mcde_flow_is_video(mcde) && mcde->flow_active == 0)
+			mcde_start_flow(mcde);
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * If an update is receieved before the MCDE is enabled
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drm.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drm.h
index 679c2c4e6d9d..3e406d783465 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drm.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drm.h
@@ -9,6 +9,22 @@
 #ifndef _MCDE_DRM_H_
 #define _MCDE_DRM_H_
 
+enum mcde_flow_mode {
+	/* One-shot mode: flow stops after one frame */
+	MCDE_COMMAND_ONESHOT_FLOW,
+	/* Command mode with tearing effect (TE) IRQ sync */
+	MCDE_COMMAND_TE_FLOW,
+	/*
+	 * Command mode with bus turn-around (BTA) and tearing effect
+	 * (TE) IRQ sync.
+	 */
+	MCDE_COMMAND_BTA_TE_FLOW,
+	/* Video mode with tearing effect (TE) sync IRQ */
+	MCDE_VIDEO_TE_FLOW,
+	/* Video mode with the formatter itself as sync source */
+	MCDE_VIDEO_FORMATTER_FLOW,
+};
+
 struct mcde {
 	struct drm_device drm;
 	struct device *dev;
@@ -18,9 +34,7 @@ struct mcde {
 	struct drm_simple_display_pipe pipe;
 	struct mipi_dsi_device *mdsi;
 	s16 stride;
-	bool te_sync;
-	bool video_mode;
-	bool oneshot_mode;
+	enum mcde_flow_mode flow_mode;
 	unsigned int flow_active;
 	spinlock_t flow_lock; /* Locks the channel flow control */
 
@@ -36,6 +50,12 @@ struct mcde {
 
 #define to_mcde(dev) container_of(dev, struct mcde, drm)
 
+static inline bool mcde_flow_is_video(struct mcde *mcde)
+{
+	return (mcde->flow_mode == MCDE_VIDEO_TE_FLOW ||
+		mcde->flow_mode == MCDE_VIDEO_FORMATTER_FLOW);
+}
+
 bool mcde_dsi_irq(struct mipi_dsi_device *mdsi);
 void mcde_dsi_te_request(struct mipi_dsi_device *mdsi);
 extern struct platform_driver mcde_dsi_driver;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drv.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drv.c
index 80082d6dce3a..1671af101cf2 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drv.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_drv.c
@@ -315,9 +315,6 @@ static int mcde_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	mcde->dev = dev;
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, drm);
 
-	/* Enable continuous updates: this is what Linux' framebuffer expects */
-	mcde->oneshot_mode = false;
-
 	/* First obtain and turn on the main power */
 	mcde->epod = devm_regulator_get(dev, "epod");
 	if (IS_ERR(mcde->epod)) {
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
index f303369305a3..337c4c5e3947 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
@@ -148,9 +148,22 @@ static void mcde_dsi_attach_to_mcde(struct mcde_dsi *d)
 {
 	d->mcde->mdsi = d->mdsi;
 
-	d->mcde->video_mode = !!(d->mdsi->mode_flags & MIPI_DSI_MODE_VIDEO);
-	/* Enable use of the TE signal for all command mode panels */
-	d->mcde->te_sync = !d->mcde->video_mode;
+	/*
+	 * Select the way the DSI data flow is pushing to the display:
+	 * currently we just support video or command mode depending
+	 * on the type of display. Video mode defaults to using the
+	 * formatter itself for synchronization (stateless video panel).
+	 *
+	 * FIXME: add flags to struct mipi_dsi_device .flags to indicate
+	 * displays that require BTA (bus turn around) so we can handle
+	 * such displays as well. Figure out how to properly handle
+	 * single frame on-demand updates with DRM for command mode
+	 * displays (MCDE_COMMAND_ONESHOT_FLOW).
+	 */
+	if (d->mdsi->mode_flags & MIPI_DSI_MODE_VIDEO)
+		d->mcde->flow_mode = MCDE_VIDEO_FORMATTER_FLOW;
+	else
+		d->mcde->flow_mode = MCDE_COMMAND_TE_FLOW;
 }
 
 static int mcde_dsi_host_attach(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
