diff --git a/src/panfrost/bifrost/bifrost_compile.c b/src/panfrost/bifrost/bifrost_compile.c
index cbb3bcdffa2..7749574674e 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/bifrost/bifrost_compile.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/bifrost/bifrost_compile.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ bi_emit_load_vary(bi_builder *b, nir_intrinsic_instr *instr)
         /* Ignored for non-conditional center and retrieve modes (use an
          * efficient encoding), otherwise R61 for sample mask XXX RA */
 
-        bi_index src0 = (sample == BI_SAMPLE_CENTER) ? bi_passthrough(BIFROST_SRC_FAU_HI) :
+        bi_index src0 = (sample == BI_SAMPLE_CENTER) ? bi_dontcare() :
                 bi_register(61);
 
         nir_src *offset = nir_get_io_offset_src(instr);
diff --git a/src/panfrost/bifrost/compiler.h b/src/panfrost/bifrost/compiler.h
index fb36d812dd0..d9853773801 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/bifrost/compiler.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/bifrost/compiler.h
@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@ bi_passthrough(enum bifrost_packed_src value)
         };
 }
 
+/* Read back power-efficent garbage, TODO maybe merge with null? */
+static inline bi_index
+bi_dontcare()
+{
+        return bi_passthrough(BIFROST_SRC_FAU_HI);
+}
+
 /* Extracts a word from a vectored index */
 static inline bi_index
 bi_word(bi_index idx, unsigned component)