diff --git a/daemon/backends/CMakeLists.txt b/daemon/backends/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/daemon/backends/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/daemon/backends/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     upower/xrandrxcbhelper.cpp
     upower/udevqtclient.cpp
     upower/udevqtdevice.cpp
+    upower/ddcutilbrightness.cpp
 )
 
 set_source_files_properties(
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@
     ${XCB_XCB_LIBRARY}
     ${XCB_RANDR_LIBRARY}
     powerdevilcore
+    ddcutil
 )
 
 install(TARGETS powerdevilupowerbackend DESTINATION ${PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR}/kf5/powerdevil)
diff --git a/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.h b/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.h
--- a/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.h
+++ b/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.h
@@ -1,32 +1,53 @@
+/*  This file is part of the KDE project
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 Dorian Vogel <dorianvogel@gmail.com>
+ *
+ *    This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ *    modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ *    License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ *    This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ *    Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *    You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public License
+ *    along with this library; see the file COPYING.LIB.  If not, write to
+ *    the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ *    Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ */
 
 #ifndef DDCUTILBRIGHTNESS_H
 #define DDCUTILBRIGHTNESS_H
 
-#include <QList>
+#include <QVector>
 #include <ddcutil_c_api.h>
 
 
 class DDCutilBrightness
 {
-    
+
 public:
     DDCutilBrightness();
     void detect();
     bool isSupported() const;
-    long brightness() const;
-    long brightnessMax() const;
+    long brightness();
+    long brightnessMax();
     void setBrightness(long value);
-    
+
 private:
-    
-    QList<DDCA_Display_Handle> m_displayHandleList;
-    QList<DDCA_Display_Info> m_displayInfoList;
-    
+
+    QVector<DDCA_Display_Handle> m_displayHandleList;
+    QVector<DDCA_Display_Info> m_displayInfoList;
+
     //Per display properties
     //destription mapped to vcp values for easy retrieval
-    QList<QMap<QString, int>*> m_descrToVcp_perDisp;
-    QList<QMap<int, QMap<int, QString>*>*> m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp;
-    
+    QVector<QMap<QString, int> > m_descrToVcp_perDisp;
+    QVector<QMap<int, QMap<int, QString> > > m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp;
+
+    int m_lastBrightnessKnown;
+    int m_lastMaxBrightnessKnown;
+
 };
 
 #endif //DDCUTILBRIGHTNESS_H
diff --git a/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.cpp b/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.cpp
--- a/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.cpp
+++ b/daemon/backends/upower/ddcutilbrightness.cpp
@@ -1,175 +1,194 @@
+/*  This file is part of the KDE project
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 Dorian Vogel <dorianvogel@gmail.com>
+ *
+ *    This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ *    modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ *    License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ *    This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ *    Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *    You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public License
+ *    along with this library; see the file COPYING.LIB.  If not, write to
+ *    the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ *    Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ */
+
 #include <powerdevil_debug.h>
 
 #include "ddcutilbrightness.h"
 
 DDCutilBrightness::DDCutilBrightness()
 {
-    QList<DDCA_Display_Handle> m_displayHandleList = QList<DDCA_Display_Handle>();
-    QList<DDCA_Display_Info> m_displayInfoList = QList<DDCA_Display_Info>();
-    
-    //QList<DDCA_Capabilities> m_parsedCapabilities_perDisp = QList<DDCA_Capabilities>();
-    
-    QList<QMap<QString, int>*> m_descrToVcp_perDisp = QList<QMap<QString, int>*>();
-    QList<QMap<int, QMap<int, QString>*>*> m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp =
-    QList<QMap<int, QMap<int, QString>*>*>();
+
 }
 
-void DDCutilBrightness::detect(){
-    
+void DDCutilBrightness::detect()
+{
     DDCA_Status rc;
     DDCA_Display_Identifier did;
     DDCA_Display_Ref dref;
-    DDCA_Display_Handle dh = NULL;  // initialize to avoid clang analyzer warning
-    
-    
-    
-    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"\nCheck for monitors using ddca_get_displays()...\n";
+    DDCA_Display_Handle dh = nullptr;  // initialize to avoid clang analyzer warning
+
+
+
+    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Check for monitors using ddca_get_displays()...";
     // Inquire about detected monitors.
     DDCA_Display_Info_List * dlist = ddca_get_displays();
-    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"ddca_get_displays() returned "<< dlist;
-    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<dlist->ct << "display(s) were detected";
-    for(int iDisp=0;iDisp<dlist->ct;iDisp++)
-    {
-        
-        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"\nCreate a Display Identifier for display"<<iDisp <<
+    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "ddca_get_displays() returned "<< dlist;
+    qCInfo(POWERDEVIL)  << "[DDCutilBrightness] " << dlist->ct << "display(s) were detected";
+
+    for (int iDisp=0;iDisp<dlist->ct;iDisp++){
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Create a Display Identifier for display"<<iDisp <<
         " : "<< dlist->info[iDisp].model_name;
-        
+
         m_displayInfoList.append(dlist->info[iDisp]);
-        
+
         rc = ddca_create_dispno_display_identifier(iDisp+1, &did); // ddcutil uses 1 paded indexing for displays
-        
+
         char * did_repr = ddca_repr_display_identifier(did);
-        
-        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"did="<<did_repr;
-        
-        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"Create a display reference from the display identifier...";
+
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "did="<<did_repr;
+
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Create a display reference from the display identifier...";
         rc = ddca_create_display_ref(did, &dref);
-        
+
         if (rc != 0) {
-            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"ddct_get_display_ref() returned "<<
+            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness]: ddct_get_display_ref() returned "<<
             rc<< " ("<<ddca_status_code_name(rc) <<
             "): "<< ddca_status_code_desc(rc);
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        char * dref_repr = ddca_repr_display_ref(dref);
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "dref= " << dref_repr;
+
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Open the display reference, creating a display handle...";
+        rc = ddca_open_display(dref, &dh);
+        if (rc != 0) {
+            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness]: ddct_open_display"<< rc;
+            continue;
         }
-        else {
-            char * dref_repr = ddca_repr_display_ref(dref);
-            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"dref= " << dref_repr;
-            
-            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"Open the display reference, creating a display handle...";
-            rc = ddca_open_display(dref, &dh);
-            if (rc != 0) {
-                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"ddct_open_display"<< rc;
+
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "adding handle to list";
+        m_displayHandleList.append(dh);
+        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "handles nb: "<<m_displayHandleList.count();
+        char* capabilityString;
+        DDCA_Capabilities* parsedCapabilities;
+        ddca_get_capabilities_string(dh, &capabilityString);
+        ddca_parse_capabilities_string(capabilityString, &parsedCapabilities);
+        qCInfo(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness] " << parsedCapabilities->vcp_code_ct << "capabilities parsed";
+
+
+        m_descrToVcp_perDisp.append(QMap<QString, int>());
+        m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp.append(QMap<int, QMap<int, QString> >() );
+        //fill the feature description to vcp LUT
+
+        Version_Feature_Info* featureInfo;
+        for (int iVcp=0;iVcp<parsedCapabilities->vcp_code_ct;iVcp++) {
+
+            int vcpCode=parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].feature_code;
+
+            m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp[iDisp].insert(vcpCode, QMap<int, QString>());
+
+            m_descrToVcp_perDisp[iDisp].insert(
+                QString(ddca_get_feature_name(vcpCode)), vcpCode);
+
+
+            ddca_get_feature_info_by_display(m_displayHandleList.at(iDisp), vcpCode, &featureInfo);
+            if (featureInfo == nullptr) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << featureInfo->feature_code<<":"<<featureInfo->desc;
+            if ((featureInfo->feature_flags & DDCA_SIMPLE_NC) != DDCA_SIMPLE_NC) {
+                continue;
             }
-            else {
-                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"adding handle to list";
-                m_displayHandleList.append(dh);
-                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"handles nb: "<<m_displayHandleList.count();
-                char* capabilityString;
-                DDCA_Capabilities* parsedCapabilities;
-                ddca_get_capabilities_string(dh, &capabilityString);
-                ddca_parse_capabilities_string(capabilityString, &parsedCapabilities);
-                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<parsedCapabilities->vcp_code_ct << "capabilities have been parsed";
-                
-                
-                m_descrToVcp_perDisp.append(new QMap<QString, int>);
-                m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp.append(new QMap<int, QMap<int, QString>*>);
-                //fill the feature description to vcp LUT
-                
-                
-                
-                Version_Feature_Info* featureInfo;
-                for(int iVcp=0;iVcp<parsedCapabilities->vcp_code_ct;iVcp++)
-                {
-                    
-                    int vcpCode=parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].feature_code;
-                    
-                    m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp.at(iDisp)->insert(vcpCode, new QMap<int, QString>);
-                    
-                    m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(iDisp)->insert(
-                        QString(ddca_get_feature_name(vcpCode)), vcpCode);
-                    
-                    
-                    ddca_get_feature_info_by_display(m_displayHandleList.at(iDisp), vcpCode, &featureInfo);
-                    if(featureInfo != NULL)
-                    {
-                        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<featureInfo->feature_code<<":"<<featureInfo->desc;
-                        if((featureInfo->feature_flags & DDCA_SIMPLE_NC) == DDCA_SIMPLE_NC)
-                        {
-                            for(int iVcpVal=0;featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code!=0;++iVcpVal)
-                            {
-                                
-                                
-                                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"\t"<<featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code
-                                <<":"<< featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_name;
-                                
-                                bool thisVcpValIsSupported=false;
-                                
-                                for(int iSupportedVcpVal=0; iSupportedVcpVal<parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].value_ct; iSupportedVcpVal++)
-                                {
-                                    if(parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].values[iSupportedVcpVal]
-                                        ==featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code)
-                                    {
-                                        thisVcpValIsSupported=true;
-                                    }
-                                }
-                                
-                                if(thisVcpValIsSupported)
-                                {
-                                    m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp.at(iDisp)->value(vcpCode)->insert(
-                                        featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code,
-                                        featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_name);
-                                    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"ADDED !";
-                                }
-                            }
+            for (int iVcpVal=0;featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code!=0;++iVcpVal) {
+
+                qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "\t"<<featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code
+                <<":"<< featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_name;
+
+                bool thisVcpValIsSupported=false;
+
+                for (int iSupportedVcpVal=0; iSupportedVcpVal<parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].value_ct; iSupportedVcpVal++) {
+                    if(parsedCapabilities->vcp_codes[iVcp].values[iSupportedVcpVal]
+                        ==featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code) {
+                        thisVcpValIsSupported=true;
                         }
-                    }
-                    
-                    
                 }
-                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"done";
-                //is this needed ? are variables created in the method automatically free'd ?
-                ddca_free_parsed_capabilities(parsedCapabilities);
+
+                if (thisVcpValIsSupported) {
+                    (m_vcpTovcpValueWithDescr_perDisp[iDisp])[vcpCode].insert(
+                        featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_code,
+                        featureInfo->sl_values[iVcpVal].value_name);
+                }
             }
         }
+        //is this needed ? are variables created in the method automatically free'd ?
+        ddca_free_parsed_capabilities(parsedCapabilities);
     }
-    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"done with display";
 }
 
+
 bool DDCutilBrightness::isSupported() const
 {
-    return (m_displayHandleList.count()!=0);
-    
+    return !m_displayHandleList.isEmpty();
 }
 
-long DDCutilBrightness::brightness() const
+long DDCutilBrightness::brightness()
 {
-    
+
     //FIXME: gets value for display 1
+    DDCA_Status rc;
     Single_Vcp_Value *returnValue;
-    
-    ddca_get_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0),
-                       m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0)->value("Brightness"),
-                       NON_TABLE_VCP_VALUE, &returnValue);
-    
-    return (long)returnValue->val.c.cur_val;
+
+    rc = ddca_get_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0),
+                            m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0).value("Brightness"),
+                            NON_TABLE_VCP_VALUE, &returnValue);
+    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness::brightness]: ddca_get_vcp_value returned" << rc;
+
+    //check rc to prevent crash on wake from idle and the monitor has gone to powersave mode
+    if (rc == 0) {
+        m_lastBrightnessKnown = (long)returnValue->val.c.cur_val;
+    }
+
+    return m_lastBrightnessKnown;
 }
 
-long DDCutilBrightness::brightnessMax() const
+long DDCutilBrightness::brightnessMax()
 {
+    DDCA_Status rc;
     Single_Vcp_Value *returnValue;
-    
-    ddca_get_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0),
-                       m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0)->value("Brightness"),
-                       NON_TABLE_VCP_VALUE, &returnValue);
-    
-    return (long) returnValue->val.c.max_val;
-    
+
+    rc = ddca_get_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0),
+                            m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0).value("Brightness"),
+                            NON_TABLE_VCP_VALUE, &returnValue);
+    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness::brightnessMax]: ddca_get_vcp_value returned" << rc;
+
+    //check rc to prevent crash on wake from idle and the monitor has gone to powersave mode
+    if (rc == 0) {
+        m_lastMaxBrightnessKnown = (long)returnValue->val.c.max_val;
+    }
+
+    return m_lastMaxBrightnessKnown;
 }
 
 void DDCutilBrightness::setBrightness(long value)
 {
-    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL)<<"[ddcutilbrightness] setting brightness to "<<value;
-    ddca_set_continuous_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0), 
-                                       m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0)->value("Brightness"), 
+    DDCA_Status rc;
+    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness]: setting brightness "<<value;
+    rc = ddca_set_continuous_vcp_value(m_displayHandleList.at(0), 
+                                       m_descrToVcp_perDisp.at(0).value("Brightness"), 
                                        (int)value);
+
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "[DDCutilBrightness::setBrightness] failed, trying to detect()";
+        detect();
+    } else {
+        m_lastBrightnessKnown = value;
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.h b/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.h
--- a/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.h
+++ b/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 class XRandRXCBHelper;
 class XRandrBrightness;
 class QPropertyAnimation;
-
+class DDCutilBrightness;
 class Q_DECL_EXPORT PowerDevilUPowerBackend : public PowerDevil::BackendInterface
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@
     QMap<BrightnessControlType, int> m_cachedBrightnessMap;
     XRandrBrightness         *m_brightnessControl;
     XRandRXCBHelper *m_randrHelper;
+    DDCutilBrightness *m_ddcBrightnessControl;
 
     OrgFreedesktopUPowerInterface *m_upowerInterface;
     OrgFreedesktopUPowerKbdBacklightInterface *m_kbdBacklight;
diff --git a/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.cpp b/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.cpp
--- a/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.cpp
+++ b/daemon/backends/upower/powerdevilupowerbackend.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 #include "xrandrxcbhelper.h"
 #include "xrandrbrightness.h"
+#include "ddcutilbrightness.h"
 #include "upowersuspendjob.h"
 #include "login1suspendjob.h"
 #include "udevqt.h"
@@ -152,63 +153,83 @@
     m_upowerInterface = new OrgFreedesktopUPowerInterface(UPOWER_SERVICE, "/org/freedesktop/UPower", QDBusConnection::systemBus(), this);
     m_brightnessControl = new XRandrBrightness();
     if (!m_brightnessControl->isSupported()) {
-        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Falling back to helper to get brightness";
-
-        KAuth::Action brightnessAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightness");
-        brightnessAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
-        KAuth::ExecuteJob *brightnessJob = brightnessAction.execute();
-        connect(brightnessJob, &KJob::result, this,
-            [this, brightnessJob]  {
-                if (brightnessJob->error()) {
-                    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightness failed";
-                    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << brightnessJob->errorText();
-                    Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(false);
-                    return;
-                }
-                m_cachedBrightnessMap.insert(Screen, brightnessJob->data()["brightness"].toFloat());
-
-                KAuth::Action brightnessMaxAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightnessmax");
-                brightnessMaxAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
-                KAuth::ExecuteJob *brightnessMaxJob = brightnessMaxAction.execute();
-                connect(brightnessMaxJob, &KJob::result, this,
-                    [this, brightnessMaxJob] {
-                        if (brightnessMaxJob->error()) {
-                            qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightnessmax failed";
-                            qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << brightnessMaxJob->errorText();
-                        } else {
-                            m_brightnessMax = brightnessMaxJob->data()["brightnessmax"].toInt();
-                        }
-
-                        KAuth::Action syspathAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.syspath");
-                        syspathAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
-                        KAuth::ExecuteJob* syspathJob = syspathAction.execute();
-                        connect(syspathJob, &KJob::result, this,
-                            [this, syspathJob] {
-                                if (syspathJob->error()) {
-                                    qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.syspath failed";
-                                    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << syspathJob->errorText();
-                                    Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(false);
-                                    return;
-                                }
-                                m_syspath = syspathJob->data()["syspath"].toString();
-                                m_syspath = QFileInfo(m_syspath).readLink();
+        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL)<<"Xrandr not supported, trying ddc, helper";
+        m_ddcBrightnessControl = new DDCutilBrightness();
+        m_ddcBrightnessControl->detect();
+        if (!m_ddcBrightnessControl->isSupported()) {
+            qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Falling back to helper to get brightness";
+
+            KAuth::Action brightnessAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightness");
+            brightnessAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
+            KAuth::ExecuteJob *brightnessJob = brightnessAction.execute();
+            connect(brightnessJob, &KJob::result, this,
+                [this, brightnessJob]  {
+                    if (brightnessJob->error()) {
+                        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightness failed";
+                        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << brightnessJob->errorText();
+                        Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(false);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    m_cachedBrightnessMap.insert(Screen, brightnessJob->data()["brightness"].toFloat());
+
+                    KAuth::Action brightnessMaxAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightnessmax");
+                    brightnessMaxAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
+                    KAuth::ExecuteJob *brightnessMaxJob = brightnessMaxAction.execute();
+                    connect(brightnessMaxJob, &KJob::result, this,
+                        [this, brightnessMaxJob] {
+                            if (brightnessMaxJob->error()) {
+                                qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.brightnessmax failed";
+                                qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << brightnessMaxJob->errorText();
+                            } else {
+                                m_brightnessMax = brightnessMaxJob->data()["brightnessmax"].toInt();
+                            }
 
-                                m_isLedBrightnessControl = m_syspath.contains(QLatin1String("/leds/"));
-                                if (!m_isLedBrightnessControl) {
-                                    UdevQt::Client *client =  new UdevQt::Client(QStringList("backlight"), this);
-                                    connect(client, SIGNAL(deviceChanged(UdevQt::Device)), SLOT(onDeviceChanged(UdevQt::Device)));
+                            KAuth::Action syspathAction("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.syspath");
+                            syspathAction.setHelperId(HELPER_ID);
+                            KAuth::ExecuteJob* syspathJob = syspathAction.execute();
+                            connect(syspathJob, &KJob::result, this,
+                                [this, syspathJob] {
+                                    if (syspathJob->error()) {
+                                        qCWarning(POWERDEVIL) << "org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.syspath failed";
+                                        qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << syspathJob->errorText();
+                                        Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(false);
+                                        return;
+                                    }
+                                    m_syspath = syspathJob->data()["syspath"].toString();
+                                    m_syspath = QFileInfo(m_syspath).readLink();
+
+                                    m_isLedBrightnessControl = m_syspath.contains(QLatin1String("/leds/"));
+                                    if (!m_isLedBrightnessControl) {
+                                        UdevQt::Client *client =  new UdevQt::Client(QStringList("backlight"), this);
+                                        connect(client, SIGNAL(deviceChanged(UdevQt::Device)), SLOT(onDeviceChanged(UdevQt::Device)));
+                                    }
+
+                                    Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(m_brightnessMax > 0);
                                 }
-
-                                Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(m_brightnessMax > 0);
-                            }
-                        );
-                        syspathJob->start();
-                    }
-                );
-                brightnessMaxJob->start();
+                            );
+                            syspathJob->start();
+                        }
+                    );
+                    brightnessMaxJob->start();
+                }
+            );
+            brightnessJob->start();
+        }
+        else{
+            qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Using DDCutillib";
+            m_cachedBrightnessMap.insert(Screen, brightness(Screen));
+
+            const int duration = PowerDevilSettings::brightnessAnimationDuration();
+            if (duration > 0 && brightnessMax() >= PowerDevilSettings::brightnessAnimationThreshold()) {
+                m_brightnessAnimation = new QPropertyAnimation(this);
+                m_brightnessAnimation->setTargetObject(this);
+                m_brightnessAnimation->setDuration(duration);
+                m_brightnessAnimation->setEasingCurve(QEasingCurve::InOutQuad);
+                connect(m_brightnessAnimation, &QPropertyAnimation::valueChanged, this, &PowerDevilUPowerBackend::animationValueChanged);
+                connect(m_brightnessAnimation, &QPropertyAnimation::finished, this, &PowerDevilUPowerBackend::slotScreenBrightnessChanged);
             }
-        );
-        brightnessJob->start();
+            Q_EMIT brightnessSupportQueried(true);
+        }
     } else {
         qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Using XRandR";
         m_randrHelper = XRandRXCBHelper::self();
@@ -398,7 +419,13 @@
                 //qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Calling xrandr brightness";
                 result = (int) m_brightnessControl->brightness();
             }
-        } else {
+        } else if (m_ddcBrightnessControl->isSupported()){
+            if (m_brightnessAnimation && m_brightnessAnimation->state() == QPropertyAnimation::Running) {
+                result = m_brightnessAnimation->endValue().toInt();
+            } else {
+                result = (int)m_ddcBrightnessControl->brightness();
+            }
+        }else{
             result = m_cachedBrightnessMap[Screen];
         }
         qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Screen brightness value: " << result;
@@ -418,7 +445,9 @@
         if (m_brightnessControl->isSupported()) {
             //qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Calling xrandr brightness";
             result = (int) m_brightnessControl->brightnessMax();
-        } else {
+        } else if (m_ddcBrightnessControl->isSupported()){
+            result = (int)m_ddcBrightnessControl->brightnessMax();
+        }else{
             result = m_brightnessMax;
         }
         qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Screen brightness value max: " << result;
@@ -445,6 +474,17 @@
             } else {
                 m_brightnessControl->setBrightness(value);
             }
+        } else if (m_ddcBrightnessControl->isSupported()){
+            if (m_brightnessAnimation) {
+                m_brightnessAnimation->stop();
+                disconnect(m_brightnessAnimation, &QPropertyAnimation::valueChanged, this, &PowerDevilUPowerBackend::animationValueChanged);
+                m_brightnessAnimation->setStartValue(brightness());
+                m_brightnessAnimation->setEndValue(value);
+                connect(m_brightnessAnimation, &QPropertyAnimation::valueChanged, this, &PowerDevilUPowerBackend::animationValueChanged);
+                m_brightnessAnimation->start();
+            } else {
+                m_ddcBrightnessControl->setBrightness((long)value);
+            }
         } else {
             //qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Falling back to helper to set brightness";
             KAuth::Action action("org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper.setbrightness");
@@ -471,7 +511,6 @@
     }
 
     int value = brightness(Screen);
-    qCDebug(POWERDEVIL) << "Brightness changed!!";
     if (value != m_cachedBrightnessMap[Screen] || m_isLedBrightnessControl) {
         m_cachedBrightnessMap[Screen] = value;
         onBrightnessChanged(Screen, value, brightnessMax(Screen));
@@ -674,5 +713,12 @@
 
 void PowerDevilUPowerBackend::animationValueChanged(const QVariant &value)
 {
-    m_brightnessControl->setBrightness(value.toInt());
+    if (m_brightnessControl->isSupported()) {
+        m_brightnessControl->setBrightness(value.toInt());
+    }else if (m_ddcBrightnessControl->isSupported()) {
+        m_ddcBrightnessControl->setBrightness(value.toInt());
+    }
+    else{
+        qCInfo(POWERDEVIL)<<"PowerDevilUPowerBackend::animationValueChanged: brightness control not supported";
+    }
 }