diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.c
index c39af96ae..4afc830d0 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ struct _MetaFrameNative
   ClutterFrame base;
 
   MetaKmsUpdate *kms_update;
+  gboolean had_kms_update;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ meta_frame_native_set_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native,
   g_return_if_fail (!frame_native->kms_update);
 
   frame_native->kms_update = kms_update;
+  frame_native->had_kms_update = TRUE;
 }
 
 MetaKmsUpdate *
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ meta_frame_native_ensure_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native,
     }
 
   frame_native->kms_update = meta_kms_update_new (kms_device);
+  frame_native->had_kms_update = TRUE;
   return frame_native->kms_update;
 }
 
@@ -87,3 +90,9 @@ meta_frame_native_has_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native)
 {
   return !!frame_native->kms_update;
 }
+
+gboolean
+meta_frame_native_had_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native)
+{
+  return frame_native->had_kms_update;
+}
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.h b/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.h
index e7140929b..c0b864fe7 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.h
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-frame-native.h
@@ -43,4 +43,7 @@ MetaKmsUpdate * meta_frame_native_steal_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_nativ
 META_EXPORT_TEST
 gboolean meta_frame_native_has_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native);
 
+META_EXPORT_TEST
+gboolean meta_frame_native_had_kms_update (MetaFrameNative *frame_native);
+
 #endif /* META_FRAME_NATIVE_H */