diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_client.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_client.c
index 410572f14257..fb107b24baae 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_client.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_client.c
@@ -281,22 +281,12 @@ drm_client_buffer_create(struct drm_client_dev *client, u32 width, u32 height, u
 
 	buffer->gem = obj;
 
-	/*
-	 * FIXME: The dependency on GEM here isn't required, we could
-	 * convert the driver handle to a dma-buf instead and use the
-	 * backend-agnostic dma-buf vmap support instead. This would
-	 * require that the handle2fd prime ioctl is reworked to pull the
-	 * fd_install step out of the driver backend hooks, to make that
-	 * final step optional for internal users.
-	 */
-	vaddr = drm_gem_vmap(obj);
+	vaddr = drm_client_buffer_vmap(buffer);
 	if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(vaddr);
 		goto err_delete;
 	}
 
-	buffer->vaddr = vaddr;
-
 	return buffer;
 
 err_delete:
@@ -305,6 +295,62 @@ err_delete:
 	return ERR_PTR(ret);
 }
 
+/**
+ * drm_client_buffer_vmap - Map DRM client buffer into address space
+ * @buffer: DRM client buffer
+ *
+ * This function maps a client buffer into kernel address space. If the
+ * buffer is already mapped, it returns the mapping's address.
+ *
+ * Client buffer mappings are not ref'counted. Each call to
+ * drm_client_buffer_vmap() should be followed by a call to
+ * drm_client_buffer_vunmap(); or the client buffer should be mapped
+ * throughout its lifetime. The latter is the default.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *	The mapped memory's address
+ */
+void *drm_client_buffer_vmap(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer)
+{
+	void *vaddr;
+
+	if (buffer->vaddr)
+		return buffer->vaddr;
+
+	/*
+	 * FIXME: The dependency on GEM here isn't required, we could
+	 * convert the driver handle to a dma-buf instead and use the
+	 * backend-agnostic dma-buf vmap support instead. This would
+	 * require that the handle2fd prime ioctl is reworked to pull the
+	 * fd_install step out of the driver backend hooks, to make that
+	 * final step optional for internal users.
+	 */
+	vaddr = drm_gem_vmap(buffer->gem);
+	if (IS_ERR(vaddr))
+		return vaddr;
+
+	buffer->vaddr = vaddr;
+
+	return vaddr;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_client_buffer_vmap);
+
+/**
+ * drm_client_buffer_vunmap - Unmap DRM client buffer
+ * @buffer: DRM client buffer
+ *
+ * This function removes a client buffer's memory mapping. This
+ * function is only required by clients that manage their buffers
+ * by themselves. By default, DRM client buffers are mapped throughout
+ * their entire lifetime.
+ */
+void drm_client_buffer_vunmap(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer)
+{
+	drm_gem_vunmap(buffer->gem, buffer->vaddr);
+	buffer->vaddr = NULL;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_client_buffer_vunmap);
+
 static void drm_client_buffer_rmfb(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer)
 {
 	int ret;
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_client.h b/include/drm/drm_client.h
index 72d51d1e9dd9..5cf2c5dd8b1e 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_client.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_client.h
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ struct drm_client_buffer {
 struct drm_client_buffer *
 drm_client_framebuffer_create(struct drm_client_dev *client, u32 width, u32 height, u32 format);
 void drm_client_framebuffer_delete(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer);
+void *drm_client_buffer_vmap(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer);
+void drm_client_buffer_vunmap(struct drm_client_buffer *buffer);
 
 int drm_client_modeset_create(struct drm_client_dev *client);
 void drm_client_modeset_free(struct drm_client_dev *client);