vdbg_printk(TPACPI_DBG_INIT, "initializing brightness subdriver\n");
 
+       if (!brightness_mode) {
+               if (thinkpad_id.vendor == PCI_VENDOR_ID_LENOVO)
+                       brightness_mode = 2;
+               else
+                       brightness_mode = 3;
+
+               dbg_printk(TPACPI_DBG_INIT, "selected brightness_mode=%d\n",
+                       brightness_mode);
+       }
+
+       if (brightness_mode > 3)
+               return -EINVAL;
+
        b = brightness_get(NULL);
        if (b < 0)
-               return b;
+               return 1;
 
        ibm_backlight_device = backlight_device_register(
                                        TPACPI_BACKLIGHT_DEV_NAME, NULL, NULL,
                                bd->props.brightness : 0);
 }
 
+/*
+ * ThinkPads can read brightness from two places: EC 0x31, or
+ * CMOS NVRAM byte 0x5E, bits 0-3.
+ */
 static int brightness_get(struct backlight_device *bd)
 {
-       u8 level;
-       if (!acpi_ec_read(brightness_offset, &level))
-               return -EIO;
+       u8 lec = 0, lcmos = 0, level = 0;
 
-       level &= 0x7;
+       if (brightness_mode & 1) {
+               if (!acpi_ec_read(brightness_offset, &lec))
+                       return -EIO;
+               lec &= 7;
+               level = lec;
+       };
+       if (brightness_mode & 2) {
+               lcmos = (nvram_read_byte(TP_NVRAM_ADDR_BRIGHTNESS)
+                        & TP_NVRAM_MASK_LEVEL_BRIGHTNESS)
+                       >> TP_NVRAM_POS_LEVEL_BRIGHTNESS;
+               level = lcmos;
+       }
+
+       if (brightness_mode == 3 && lec != lcmos) {
+               printk(IBM_ERR
+                       "CMOS NVRAM (%u) and EC (%u) do not agree "
+                       "on display brightness level\n",
+                       (unsigned int) lcmos,
+                       (unsigned int) lec);
+               return -EIO;
+       }
 
        return level;
 }
        int cmos_cmd, inc, i;
        int current_value = brightness_get(NULL);
 
-       value &= 7;
+       if (value > 7)
+               return -EINVAL;
 
-       cmos_cmd = value > current_value ? TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_UP : TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN;
+       cmos_cmd = value > current_value ?
+                       TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_UP :
+                       TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN;
        inc = value > current_value ? 1 : -1;
+
        for (i = current_value; i != value; i += inc) {
-               if (issue_thinkpad_cmos_command(cmos_cmd))
+               if ((brightness_mode & 2) &&
+                   issue_thinkpad_cmos_command(cmos_cmd))
                        return -EIO;
-               if (!acpi_ec_write(brightness_offset, i + inc))
+               if ((brightness_mode & 1) &&
+                   !acpi_ec_write(brightness_offset, i + inc))
                        return -EIO;
        }
 
 static int fan_control_allowed;
 module_param_named(fan_control, fan_control_allowed, bool, 0);
 
+static int brightness_mode;
+module_param_named(brightness_mode, brightness_mode, int, 0);
+
 #define IBM_PARAM(feature) \
        module_param_call(feature, set_ibm_param, NULL, NULL, 0)
 
 
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
 
+#include <linux/nvram.h>
 #include <linux/proc_fs.h>
 #include <linux/sysfs.h>
 #include <linux/backlight.h>
 #define TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_UP  4
 #define TP_CMOS_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN        5
 
+/* ThinkPad CMOS NVRAM constants */
+#define TP_NVRAM_ADDR_BRIGHTNESS       0x5e
+#define TP_NVRAM_MASK_LEVEL_BRIGHTNESS 0x07
+#define TP_NVRAM_POS_LEVEL_BRIGHTNESS 0
+
 #define onoff(status,bit) ((status) & (1 << (bit)) ? "on" : "off")
 #define enabled(status,bit) ((status) & (1 << (bit)) ? "enabled" : "disabled")
 #define strlencmp(a,b) (strncmp((a), (b), strlen(b)))
 
 static struct backlight_device *ibm_backlight_device;
 static int brightness_offset = 0x31;
+static int brightness_mode;
 
 static int brightness_init(struct ibm_init_struct *iibm);
 static void brightness_exit(void);