static DEFINE_MUTEX(thermal_list_lock);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(thermal_governor_lock);
 
+static struct thermal_governor *def_governor;
+
 static struct thermal_governor *__find_governor(const char *name)
 {
        struct thermal_governor *pos;
 
+       if (!name || !name[0])
+               return def_governor;
+
        list_for_each_entry(pos, &thermal_governor_list, governor_list)
                if (!strnicmp(name, pos->name, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH))
                        return pos;
        if (__find_governor(governor->name) == NULL) {
                err = 0;
                list_add(&governor->governor_list, &thermal_governor_list);
+               if (!def_governor && !strncmp(governor->name,
+                       DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH))
+                       def_governor = governor;
        }
 
        mutex_lock(&thermal_list_lock);
 
        list_for_each_entry(pos, &thermal_tz_list, node) {
+               /*
+                * only thermal zones with specified tz->tzp->governor_name
+                * may run with tz->govenor unset
+                */
                if (pos->governor)
                        continue;
-               if (pos->tzp)
-                       name = pos->tzp->governor_name;
-               else
-                       name = DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR;
+
+               name = pos->tzp->governor_name;
+
                if (!strnicmp(name, governor->name, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH))
                        pos->governor = governor;
        }
 static void handle_non_critical_trips(struct thermal_zone_device *tz,
                        int trip, enum thermal_trip_type trip_type)
 {
-       if (tz->governor)
-               tz->governor->throttle(tz, trip);
+       tz->governor ? tz->governor->throttle(tz, trip) :
+                      def_governor->throttle(tz, trip);
 }
 
 static void handle_critical_trips(struct thermal_zone_device *tz,
        if (tz->tzp)
                tz->governor = __find_governor(tz->tzp->governor_name);
        else
-               tz->governor = __find_governor(DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR);
+               tz->governor = def_governor;
 
        mutex_unlock(&thermal_governor_lock);