diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
index bf6b2cdd..6118e1a7 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-internal.h
@@ -822,8 +822,8 @@ enum drm_output_state_duplicate_mode {
 };
 
 struct drm_output_state *
-drm_output_state_alloc(struct drm_output *output,
-		       struct drm_pending_state *pending_state);
+drm_output_state_alloc(struct drm_output *output);
+
 struct drm_output_state *
 drm_output_state_duplicate(struct drm_output_state *src,
 			   struct drm_pending_state *pending_state,
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-virtual.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-virtual.c
index e47c59b4..3c38f395 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm-virtual.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm-virtual.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ drm_virtual_output_create(struct weston_compositor *c, char *name,
 	output->base.attach_head = NULL;
 
 	output->backend = b;
-	output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output, NULL);
+	output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output);
 
 	weston_compositor_add_pending_output(&output->base, c);
 
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
index 40ac863a..11a5c3d4 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
@@ -2859,7 +2859,7 @@ drm_output_create(struct weston_backend *backend, const char *name)
 	output->destroy_pending = false;
 	output->disable_pending = false;
 
-	output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output, NULL);
+	output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output);
 
 	weston_compositor_add_pending_output(&output->base, b->compositor);
 
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/kms.c b/libweston/backend-drm/kms.c
index 1de5e46c..d6be1efc 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/kms.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/kms.c
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ drm_pending_state_apply(struct drm_pending_state *pending_state)
 				   output->base.name);
 			weston_output_repaint_failed(&output->base);
 			drm_output_state_free(output->state_cur);
-			output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output, NULL);
+			output->state_cur = drm_output_state_alloc(output);
 			device->state_invalid = true;
 			if (b->compositor->renderer->type == WESTON_RENDERER_GL) {
 				drm_output_fini_egl(output);
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/state-helpers.c b/libweston/backend-drm/state-helpers.c
index b8fe7d87..b85fe423 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/state-helpers.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/state-helpers.c
@@ -370,8 +370,7 @@ drm_output_state_get_plane(struct drm_output_state *state_output,
  * in the repaint cycle; see drm_output_state_duplicate.
  */
 struct drm_output_state *
-drm_output_state_alloc(struct drm_output *output,
-		       struct drm_pending_state *pending_state)
+drm_output_state_alloc(struct drm_output *output)
 {
 	struct drm_output_state *state = zalloc(sizeof(*state));
 
@@ -379,11 +378,7 @@ drm_output_state_alloc(struct drm_output *output,
 	state->output = output;
 	state->dpms = WESTON_DPMS_OFF;
 	state->protection = WESTON_HDCP_DISABLE;
-	state->pending_state = pending_state;
-	if (pending_state)
-		wl_list_insert(&pending_state->output_list, &state->link);
-	else
-		wl_list_init(&state->link);
+	wl_list_init(&state->link);
 
 	wl_list_init(&state->plane_list);