diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm270x-rpi.dtsi b/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm270x-rpi.dtsi
index f997d908e4b4ce..bc533f32964067 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm270x-rpi.dtsi
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm270x-rpi.dtsi
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
 			    <&csi0>, "sync-gpios:4",
 			    <&csi0>, "sync-gpios:8=0", <GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;
 
-		strict_gpiod = <&chosen>, "bootargs=pinctrl_bcm2835.strict_gpiod=y";
+		strict_gpiod = <&chosen>, "bootargs=pinctrl_bcm2835.persist_gpio_outputs=n";
 	};
 };
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm2712-rpi.dtsi b/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm2712-rpi.dtsi
index 89d12634f20b81..f88de824e9d7d7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm2712-rpi.dtsi
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/bcm2712-rpi.dtsi
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 		nvmem_cust_rw = <&nvmem_cust>,"rw?";
 		nvmem_priv_rw = <&nvmem_priv>,"rw?";
 		nvmem_mac_rw = <&nvmem_mac>,"rw?";
-		strict_gpiod = <&chosen>, "bootargs=pinctrl_rp1.strict_gpiod=y";
+		strict_gpiod = <&chosen>, "bootargs=pinctrl_rp1.persist_gpio_outputs=n";
 	};
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/bcm/pinctrl-bcm2835.c b/drivers/pinctrl/bcm/pinctrl-bcm2835.c
index 675cf96d7465bd..cfb51cf2f7662b 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/bcm/pinctrl-bcm2835.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/bcm/pinctrl-bcm2835.c
@@ -244,9 +244,9 @@ static const char * const irq_type_names[] = {
 	[IRQ_TYPE_LEVEL_LOW] = "level-low",
 };
 
-static bool strict_gpiod;
-module_param(strict_gpiod, bool, 0644);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(strict_gpiod, "unless true, outputs remain outputs when freed");
+static bool persist_gpio_outputs = true;
+module_param(persist_gpio_outputs, bool, 0644);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(persist_gpio_outputs, "Enable GPIO_OUT persistence when pin is freed");
 
 static inline u32 bcm2835_gpio_rd(struct bcm2835_pinctrl *pc, unsigned reg)
 {
@@ -945,10 +945,14 @@ static int bcm2835_pmx_free(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
 	struct bcm2835_pinctrl *pc = pinctrl_dev_get_drvdata(pctldev);
 	enum bcm2835_fsel fsel = bcm2835_pinctrl_fsel_get(pc, offset);
 
-	/* Return non-GPIOs to GPIO_IN, unless strict_gpiod is set */
-	if (strict_gpiod || (fsel != BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_IN && fsel != BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_OUT))
-		bcm2835_pinctrl_fsel_set(pc, offset, BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_IN);
+	if (fsel == BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_IN)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (persist_gpio_outputs && fsel == BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_OUT)
+		return 0;
 
+	/* disable by setting to GPIO_IN */
+	bcm2835_pinctrl_fsel_set(pc, offset, BCM2835_FSEL_GPIO_IN);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -990,7 +994,7 @@ static void bcm2835_pmx_gpio_disable_free(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
 		struct pinctrl_gpio_range *range,
 		unsigned offset)
 {
-	(void)bcm2835_pmx_free(pctldev, offset);
+	bcm2835_pmx_free(pctldev, offset);
 }
 
 static int bcm2835_pmx_gpio_set_direction(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
@@ -1378,6 +1382,9 @@ static int bcm2835_pinctrl_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		goto out_remove;
 	}
 
+	dev_info(dev, "GPIO_OUT persistence: %s\n",
+		 persist_gpio_outputs ? "yes" : "no");
+
 	return 0;
 
 out_remove:
diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/pinctrl-rp1.c b/drivers/pinctrl/pinctrl-rp1.c
index 292051168b61f7..6684b171e98b5d 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/pinctrl-rp1.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/pinctrl-rp1.c
@@ -573,9 +573,9 @@ static const char * const irq_type_names[] = {
 	[IRQ_TYPE_LEVEL_LOW] = "level-low",
 };
 
-static bool strict_gpiod;
-module_param(strict_gpiod, bool, 0644);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(strict_gpiod, "unless true, outputs remain outputs when freed");
+static bool persist_gpio_outputs = true;
+module_param(persist_gpio_outputs, bool, 0644);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(persist_gpio_outputs, "Enable GPIO_OUT persistence when pin is freed");
 
 static int rp1_pinconf_set(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
 			   unsigned int offset, unsigned long *configs,
@@ -1205,11 +1205,12 @@ static int rp1_pmx_free(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev, unsigned offset)
 	struct rp1_pin_info *pin = rp1_get_pin_pctl(pctldev, offset);
 	u32 fsel = rp1_get_fsel(pin);
 
-	/* Return non-GPIOs to GPIO_IN, unless strict_gpiod is set */
-	if (strict_gpiod || fsel != RP1_FSEL_GPIO) {
-		rp1_set_dir(pin, RP1_DIR_INPUT);
-		rp1_set_fsel(pin, RP1_FSEL_GPIO);
-	}
+	/* Return all pins to GPIO_IN, unless persist_gpio_outputs is set */
+	if (persist_gpio_outputs && fsel == RP1_FSEL_GPIO)
+		return 0;
+
+	rp1_set_dir(pin, RP1_DIR_INPUT);
+	rp1_set_fsel(pin, RP1_FSEL_GPIO);
 
 	return 0;
 }