An apparatus for compensating a display defect of a display panel is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a first interface for receiving a display drive signal to be applied to the display panel, the display drive signal including display data for respective pixels of the display panel; a second interface for receiving a temperature signal associated with the display panel; a compensation unit configured to compensate display data for a pixel at a position of the display defect based at least on the temperature signal; and a third interface for outputting the compensated display data. Also disclosed is a method of compensating a display defect of a display panel.