diff -aur gnome-settings-daemon-3.2.0/plugins/power/gsd-power-manager.c gnome-settings-daemon-3.2.0.fixed/plugins/power/gsd-power-manager.c
--- gnome-settings-daemon-3.2.0/plugins/power/gsd-power-manager.c	2011-10-08 22:26:57.639333050 +0200
+++ gnome-settings-daemon-3.2.0.fixed/plugins/power/gsd-power-manager.c	2011-10-08 22:36:32.989548268 +0200
@@ -2635,6 +2635,7 @@
         GsdPowerActionType action_type;
         GnomeSettingsSessionState state;
 
+        /* only switch between modes */
         if (mode == manager->priv->current_idle_mode)
                 return;
 
@@ -2662,6 +2663,9 @@
                 }
                 if (!ret) {
                         g_debug ("not dimming due to policy");
+                        /* save current brightness nonetheless */
+                        now = backlight_get_abs (manager, &error);
+                        manager->priv->pre_dim_brightness = now;
                         return;
                 }
 
