diff --git a/include/drm/drm_atomic.h b/include/drm/drm_atomic.h
index e8edf33ab260c03c81e16917a6a5a7d9648d46c9..a7e75bb0bdc6a38eb83c07b844dd97af48006f0f 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_atomic.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_atomic.h
@@ -383,11 +383,25 @@ struct drm_private_state {
 	struct drm_private_obj *obj;
 };
 
 struct __drm_private_objs_state {
 	struct drm_private_obj *ptr;
-	struct drm_private_state *state, *old_state, *new_state;
+
+	/**
+	 * @state:
+	 *
+	 * Used to track the @drm_private_state we will need to free
+	 * when tearing down the associated &drm_atomic_state.
+	 *
+	 * Before a commit, and the call to
+	 * drm_atomic_helper_swap_state() in particular, it points to
+	 * the same state than @new_state. After a commit, it points to
+	 * the same state than @old_state.
+	 */
+	struct drm_private_state *state;
+
+	struct drm_private_state *old_state, *new_state;
 };
 
 /**
  * struct drm_atomic_state - Atomic commit structure
  *