diff --git a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/manager-sysfs.c b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/manager-sysfs.c
index 55cf955f663d..9a2fb59b6f89 100644
--- a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/manager-sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/manager-sysfs.c
@@ -69,18 +69,29 @@ static ssize_t manager_display_store(struct omap_overlay_manager *mgr,
 	if (dssdev)
 		DSSDBG("display %s found\n", dssdev->name);
 
-	if (mgr->get_device(mgr)) {
-		r = mgr->unset_device(mgr);
+	if (mgr->output) {
+		r = mgr->unset_output(mgr);
 		if (r) {
-			DSSERR("failed to unset display\n");
+			DSSERR("failed to unset current output\n");
 			goto put_device;
 		}
 	}
 
 	if (dssdev) {
-		r = mgr->set_device(mgr, dssdev);
+		struct omap_dss_output *out = dssdev->output;
+
+		/*
+		 * a registered device should have an output connected to it
+		 * already
+		 */
+		if (!out) {
+			DSSERR("device has no output connected to it\n");
+			goto put_device;
+		}
+
+		r = mgr->set_output(mgr, out);
 		if (r) {
-			DSSERR("failed to set manager\n");
+			DSSERR("failed to set manager output\n");
 			goto put_device;
 		}