diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c b/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
index e5a1b553340813dd140459084b4d80089dfd301e..f070e4eb74f4a532ae415b89a49fe3ca44f42869 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
@@ -1892,14 +1892,21 @@ static int sony_nc_kbd_backlight_setup(struct platform_device *pd,
 		break;
 	}
 
-	ret = sony_call_snc_handle(handle, probe_base, &result);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+	/*
+	 * Only probe if there is a separate probe_base, otherwise the probe call
+	 * is equivalent to __sony_nc_kbd_backlight_mode_set(0), resulting in
+	 * the keyboard backlight being turned off.
+	 */
+	if (probe_base) {
+		ret = sony_call_snc_handle(handle, probe_base, &result);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
 
-	if ((handle == 0x0137 && !(result & 0x02)) ||
-			!(result & 0x01)) {
-		dprintk("no backlight keyboard found\n");
-		return 0;
+		if ((handle == 0x0137 && !(result & 0x02)) ||
+				!(result & 0x01)) {
+			dprintk("no backlight keyboard found\n");
+			return 0;
+		}
 	}
 
 	kbdbl_ctl = kzalloc(sizeof(*kbdbl_ctl), GFP_KERNEL);