diff --git a/plugins/platforms/fbdev/fb_backend.cpp b/plugins/platforms/fbdev/fb_backend.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/fbdev/fb_backend.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/fbdev/fb_backend.cpp
@@ -125,6 +123,28 @@
     if (ioctl(m_fd, FBIOGET_FSCREENINFO, &fixinfo) < 0 || ioctl(m_fd, FBIOGET_VSCREENINFO, &varinfo) < 0) {
         return false;
     }
+
+    // correct the color info, and try to turn on screens, assuming this is a non-primary framebuffer device
+    varinfo.grayscale = 0;
+    varinfo.transp.offset = 24;
+    varinfo.transp.length = 8;
+    varinfo.transp.msb_right = 0;
+    varinfo.red.offset = 16;
+    varinfo.red.length = 8;
+    varinfo.red.msb_right = 0;
+    varinfo.green.offset = 8;
+    varinfo.green.length = 8;
+    varinfo.green.msb_right = 0;
+    varinfo.blue.offset = 0;
+    varinfo.blue.length = 8;
+    varinfo.blue.msb_right = 0;
+    ioctl(m_fd, FBIOPUT_VSCREENINFO, &varinfo);
+
+    // Probe the device for new screen information.
+    if (ioctl(m_fd, FBIOGET_FSCREENINFO, &fixinfo) < 0 || ioctl(m_fd, FBIOGET_VSCREENINFO, &varinfo) < 0) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     m_resolution = QSize(varinfo.xres, varinfo.yres);
     m_physicalSize = QSize(varinfo.width, varinfo.height);
     m_id = QByteArray(fixinfo.id);