diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
index 4ce8cc5f0be2..b3c5d3cbda92 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/mcde/mcde_dsi.c
@@ -208,79 +208,16 @@ static int mcde_dsi_host_detach(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 	 (type == MIPI_DSI_GENERIC_READ_REQUEST_2_PARAM) || \
 	 (type == MIPI_DSI_DCS_READ))
 
-static ssize_t mcde_dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
-				      const struct mipi_dsi_msg *msg)
+static int mcde_dsi_execute_transfer(struct mcde_dsi *d,
+				     const struct mipi_dsi_msg *msg)
 {
-	struct mcde_dsi *d = host_to_mcde_dsi(host);
 	const u32 loop_delay_us = 10; /* us */
-	const u8 *tx = msg->tx_buf;
 	u32 loop_counter;
 	size_t txlen = msg->tx_len;
 	size_t rxlen = msg->rx_len;
+	int i;
 	u32 val;
 	int ret;
-	int i;
-
-	if (txlen > 16) {
-		dev_err(d->dev,
-			"dunno how to write more than 16 bytes yet\n");
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-	if (rxlen > 4) {
-		dev_err(d->dev,
-			"dunno how to read more than 4 bytes yet\n");
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-
-	dev_dbg(d->dev,
-		"message to channel %d, write %zd bytes read %zd bytes\n",
-		msg->channel, txlen, rxlen);
-
-	/* Command "nature" */
-	if (MCDE_DSI_HOST_IS_READ(msg->type))
-		/* MCTL_MAIN_DATA_CTL already set up */
-		val = DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_NAT_READ;
-	else
-		val = DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_NAT_WRITE;
-	/*
-	 * More than 2 bytes will not fit in a single packet, so it's
-	 * time to set the "long not short" bit. One byte is used by
-	 * the MIPI DCS command leaving just one byte for the payload
-	 * in a short package.
-	 */
-	if (mipi_dsi_packet_format_is_long(msg->type))
-		val |= DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_LONGNOTSHORT;
-	val |= 0 << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_ID_SHIFT;
-	val |= txlen << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_SIZE_SHIFT;
-	val |= DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_LP_EN;
-	val |= msg->type << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_HEAD_SHIFT;
-	writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS);
-
-	/* MIPI DCS command is part of the data */
-	if (txlen > 0) {
-		val = 0;
-		for (i = 0; i < 4 && i < txlen; i++)
-			val |= tx[i] << (i * 8);
-	}
-	writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT0);
-	if (txlen > 4) {
-		val = 0;
-		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 4) < txlen; i++)
-			val |= tx[i + 4] << (i * 8);
-		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT1);
-	}
-	if (txlen > 8) {
-		val = 0;
-		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 8) < txlen; i++)
-			val |= tx[i + 8] << (i * 8);
-		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT2);
-	}
-	if (txlen > 12) {
-		val = 0;
-		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 12) < txlen; i++)
-			val |= tx[i + 12] << (i * 8);
-		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT3);
-	}
 
 	writel(~0, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_STS_CLR);
 	writel(~0, d->regs + DSI_CMD_MODE_STS_CLR);
@@ -297,6 +234,7 @@ static ssize_t mcde_dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 			usleep_range(loop_delay_us, (loop_delay_us * 3) / 2);
 		if (!loop_counter) {
 			dev_err(d->dev, "DSI read timeout!\n");
+			/* Set exit code and retry */
 			return -ETIME;
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -307,6 +245,7 @@ static ssize_t mcde_dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 			usleep_range(loop_delay_us, (loop_delay_us * 3) / 2);
 
 		if (!loop_counter) {
+			/* Set exit code and retry */
 			dev_err(d->dev, "DSI write timeout!\n");
 			return -ETIME;
 		}
@@ -348,6 +287,93 @@ static ssize_t mcde_dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
 		ret = rdsz;
 	}
 
+	/* Successful transmission */
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static ssize_t mcde_dsi_host_transfer(struct mipi_dsi_host *host,
+				      const struct mipi_dsi_msg *msg)
+{
+	struct mcde_dsi *d = host_to_mcde_dsi(host);
+	const u8 *tx = msg->tx_buf;
+	size_t txlen = msg->tx_len;
+	size_t rxlen = msg->rx_len;
+	unsigned int retries = 0;
+	u32 val;
+	int ret;
+	int i;
+
+	if (txlen > 16) {
+		dev_err(d->dev,
+			"dunno how to write more than 16 bytes yet\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+	if (rxlen > 4) {
+		dev_err(d->dev,
+			"dunno how to read more than 4 bytes yet\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
+	dev_dbg(d->dev,
+		"message to channel %d, write %zd bytes read %zd bytes\n",
+		msg->channel, txlen, rxlen);
+
+	/* Command "nature" */
+	if (MCDE_DSI_HOST_IS_READ(msg->type))
+		/* MCTL_MAIN_DATA_CTL already set up */
+		val = DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_NAT_READ;
+	else
+		val = DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_NAT_WRITE;
+	/*
+	 * More than 2 bytes will not fit in a single packet, so it's
+	 * time to set the "long not short" bit. One byte is used by
+	 * the MIPI DCS command leaving just one byte for the payload
+	 * in a short package.
+	 */
+	if (mipi_dsi_packet_format_is_long(msg->type))
+		val |= DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_LONGNOTSHORT;
+	val |= 0 << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_ID_SHIFT;
+	val |= txlen << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_SIZE_SHIFT;
+	val |= DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_LP_EN;
+	val |= msg->type << DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS_CMD_HEAD_SHIFT;
+	writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_MAIN_SETTINGS);
+
+	/* MIPI DCS command is part of the data */
+	if (txlen > 0) {
+		val = 0;
+		for (i = 0; i < 4 && i < txlen; i++)
+			val |= tx[i] << (i * 8);
+	}
+	writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT0);
+	if (txlen > 4) {
+		val = 0;
+		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 4) < txlen; i++)
+			val |= tx[i + 4] << (i * 8);
+		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT1);
+	}
+	if (txlen > 8) {
+		val = 0;
+		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 8) < txlen; i++)
+			val |= tx[i + 8] << (i * 8);
+		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT2);
+	}
+	if (txlen > 12) {
+		val = 0;
+		for (i = 0; i < 4 && (i + 12) < txlen; i++)
+			val |= tx[i + 12] << (i * 8);
+		writel(val, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_WRDAT3);
+	}
+
+	while (retries < 3) {
+		ret = mcde_dsi_execute_transfer(d, msg);
+		if (ret >= 0)
+			break;
+		retries++;
+	}
+	if (ret < 0 && retries)
+		dev_err(d->dev, "gave up after %d retries\n", retries);
+
+	/* Clear any errors */
 	writel(~0, d->regs + DSI_DIRECT_CMD_STS_CLR);
 	writel(~0, d->regs + DSI_CMD_MODE_STS_CLR);
 
