2017 rmbp 15 screen is blank after resume

This problem can be reproduced reliably in the following steps (my daily routine):

• Connect the rmbp to (two) external monitors using the Belkin thunderbolt 3 dock. All three displays are active.
• Unplug the thunderbolt 3 cable
• Immediately close the laptop lid to sleep (this is critical. Do not wait for the laptop display to refresh)
• Wait a few hours (this may not matter)
• Open the laptop lid.
• The screen stays blank. The touchbar shows an option for mirror display or extend display, although there is no external display connected. It appears like the GPU (manager?) is stuck in some weird state without realizing the display has already disconnected.
• The only way to recover without force shutdown is to connect the laptop to an external display, which solve it right away.