diff --git a/libdrm/xf86drm.c b/libdrm/xf86drm.c
index 8b97c7da..3b66c19a 100644
--- a/libdrm/xf86drm.c
+++ b/libdrm/xf86drm.c
@@ -217,6 +217,20 @@ static int drmOpenByName(const char *name)
     group = xf86ConfigDRI.group ? xf86ConfigDRI.group : DRM_DEV_GID;
 #endif
 
+#if defined(XFree86Server)
+    if (!drmAvailable()) {
+        /* try to load the kernel module now */
+        if (!xf86LoadKernelModule(name)) {
+            ErrorF("[drm] failed to load kernel module \"%s\"\n",
+		   name);
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+#else
+    if (!drmAvailable())
+       return -1;
+#endif
+
     if (!geteuid()) {
 	dirmode = mode;
 	if (dirmode & S_IRUSR) dirmode |= S_IXUSR;