diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 2b4aa9726..68c068462 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -247,12 +247,6 @@ struct seat_config {
 	} xcursor_theme;
 };
 
-enum config_dpms {
-	DPMS_IGNORE,
-	DPMS_ON,
-	DPMS_OFF,
-};
-
 enum scale_filter_mode {
 	SCALE_FILTER_DEFAULT, // the default is currently smart
 	SCALE_FILTER_LINEAR,
@@ -274,6 +268,7 @@ enum render_bit_depth {
 struct output_config {
 	char *name;
 	int enabled;
+	int power;
 	int width, height;
 	float refresh_rate;
 	int custom_mode;
@@ -290,7 +285,6 @@ struct output_config {
 	char *background;
 	char *background_option;
 	char *background_fallback;
-	enum config_dpms dpms_state;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 26b9709f9..6d8319bf8 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ struct sway_output {
 	int width, height; // transformed buffer size
 	enum wl_output_subpixel detected_subpixel;
 	enum scale_filter_mode scale_filter;
-	// last applied mode when the output is DPMS'ed
+	// last applied mode when the output is powered off
 	struct wlr_output_mode *current_mode;
 
 	bool enabling, enabled;
diff --git a/sway/commands/output/power.c b/sway/commands/output/power.c
index c783e69bb..e6ae28520 100644
--- a/sway/commands/output/power.c
+++ b/sway/commands/output/power.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ struct cmd_results *output_cmd_power(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "Missing power argument");
 	}
 
-	enum config_dpms current_dpms = DPMS_ON;
+	bool current = true;
 	if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "toggle") == 0) {
 		const char *oc_name = config->handler_context.output_config->name;
 		if (strcmp(oc_name, "*") == 0) {
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@ struct cmd_results *output_cmd_power(int argc, char **argv) {
 		}
 
 		if (sway_output->enabled && !sway_output->wlr_output->enabled) {
-			current_dpms = DPMS_OFF;
+			current = false;
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (parse_boolean(argv[0], current_dpms == DPMS_ON)) {
-		config->handler_context.output_config->dpms_state = DPMS_ON;
+	if (parse_boolean(argv[0], current)) {
+		config->handler_context.output_config->power = 1;
 	} else {
-		config->handler_context.output_config->dpms_state = DPMS_OFF;
+		config->handler_context.output_config->power = 0;
 	}
 
 	config->handler_context.leftovers.argc = argc - 1;
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index 85b3f8bd4..b3e8371e2 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ struct output_config *new_output_config(const char *name) {
 	oc->max_render_time = -1;
 	oc->adaptive_sync = -1;
 	oc->render_bit_depth = RENDER_BIT_DEPTH_DEFAULT;
+	oc->power = -1;
 	return oc;
 }
 
@@ -132,8 +133,8 @@ void merge_output_config(struct output_config *dst, struct output_config *src) {
 		free(dst->background_fallback);
 		dst->background_fallback = strdup(src->background_fallback);
 	}
-	if (src->dpms_state != 0) {
-		dst->dpms_state = src->dpms_state;
+	if (src->power != -1) {
+		dst->power = src->power;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -192,11 +193,11 @@ static void merge_id_on_name(struct output_config *oc) {
 			list_add(config->output_configs, ion_oc);
 			sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Generated id on name output config \"%s\""
 				" (enabled: %d) (%dx%d@%fHz position %d,%d scale %f "
-				"transform %d) (bg %s %s) (dpms %d) (max render time: %d)",
+				"transform %d) (bg %s %s) (power %d) (max render time: %d)",
 				ion_oc->name, ion_oc->enabled, ion_oc->width, ion_oc->height,
 				ion_oc->refresh_rate, ion_oc->x, ion_oc->y, ion_oc->scale,
 				ion_oc->transform, ion_oc->background,
-				ion_oc->background_option, ion_oc->dpms_state,
+				ion_oc->background_option, ion_oc->power,
 				ion_oc->max_render_time);
 		}
 	}
@@ -237,11 +238,11 @@ struct output_config *store_output_config(struct output_config *oc) {
 	}
 
 	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Config stored for output %s (enabled: %d) (%dx%d@%fHz "
-		"position %d,%d scale %f subpixel %s transform %d) (bg %s %s) (dpms %d) "
+		"position %d,%d scale %f subpixel %s transform %d) (bg %s %s) (power %d) "
 		"(max render time: %d)",
 		oc->name, oc->enabled, oc->width, oc->height, oc->refresh_rate,
 		oc->x, oc->y, oc->scale, sway_wl_output_subpixel_to_string(oc->subpixel),
-		oc->transform, oc->background, oc->background_option, oc->dpms_state,
+		oc->transform, oc->background, oc->background_option, oc->power,
 		oc->max_render_time);
 
 	return oc;
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ static void queue_output_config(struct output_config *oc,
 
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
 
-	if (oc && (!oc->enabled || oc->dpms_state == DPMS_OFF)) {
+	if (oc && (!oc->enabled || oc->power == 0)) {
 		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Turning off output %s", wlr_output->name);
 		wlr_output_state_set_enabled(pending, false);
 		return;
@@ -494,7 +495,7 @@ bool apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 	struct wlr_output_state pending = {0};
 	queue_output_config(oc, output, &pending);
 
-	if (!oc || oc->dpms_state != DPMS_OFF) {
+	if (!oc || oc->power != 0) {
 		output->current_mode = pending.mode;
 	}
 
@@ -590,6 +591,7 @@ bool test_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 static void default_output_config(struct output_config *oc,
 		struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	oc->enabled = 1;
+	oc->power = 1;
 	struct wlr_output_mode *mode = wlr_output_preferred_mode(wlr_output);
 	if (mode != NULL) {
 		oc->width = mode->width;
@@ -602,7 +604,6 @@ static void default_output_config(struct output_config *oc,
 	struct sway_output *output = wlr_output->data;
 	oc->subpixel = output->detected_subpixel;
 	oc->transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;
-	oc->dpms_state = DPMS_ON;
 	oc->max_render_time = 0;
 }
 
@@ -657,10 +658,10 @@ static struct output_config *get_output_config(char *identifier,
 
 		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Generated output config \"%s\" (enabled: %d)"
 			" (%dx%d@%fHz position %d,%d scale %f transform %d) (bg %s %s)"
-			" (dpms %d) (max render time: %d)", result->name, result->enabled,
+			" (power %d) (max render time: %d)", result->name, result->enabled,
 			result->width, result->height, result->refresh_rate,
 			result->x, result->y, result->scale, result->transform,
-			result->background, result->background_option, result->dpms_state,
+			result->background, result->background_option, result->power,
 			result->max_render_time);
 	} else if (oc_name) {
 		// No identifier config, just return a copy of the name config
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index 5b7ad4eee..7bb9dab28 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ static void update_output_manager_config(struct sway_server *server) {
 		struct wlr_box output_box;
 		wlr_output_layout_get_box(root->output_layout,
 			output->wlr_output, &output_box);
-		// We mark the output enabled even if it is switched off by DPMS
+		// We mark the output enabled when it's switched off but not disabled
 		config_head->state.enabled = output->current_mode != NULL && output->enabled;
 		config_head->state.mode = output->current_mode;
 		if (!wlr_box_empty(&output_box)) {
@@ -1028,10 +1028,10 @@ void handle_output_power_manager_set_mode(struct wl_listener *listener,
 	struct output_config *oc = new_output_config(output->wlr_output->name);
 	switch (event->mode) {
 	case ZWLR_OUTPUT_POWER_V1_MODE_OFF:
-		oc->dpms_state = DPMS_OFF;
+		oc->power = 0;
 		break;
 	case ZWLR_OUTPUT_POWER_V1_MODE_ON:
-		oc->dpms_state = DPMS_ON;
+		oc->power = 1;
 		break;
 	}
 	oc = store_output_config(oc);