diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
index a65a79776..1c207dcac 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
@@ -835,6 +835,9 @@ clutter_color_state_get_transform_snippet (ClutterColorState *color_state,
   snippet = cogl_snippet_new (COGL_SNIPPET_HOOK_FRAGMENT,
                               globals_source->str,
                               snippet_source->str);
+  cogl_snippet_set_capability (snippet,
+                               CLUTTER_PIPELINE_CAPABILITY,
+                               CLUTTER_PIPELINE_CAPABILITY_COLOR_STATE);
   g_hash_table_insert (snippet_cache,
                        g_memdup2 (&cache_key, sizeof (cache_key)),
                        g_object_ref (snippet));
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
index bbc620654..e6add3c5a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ typedef struct
   GDestroyNotify notify;
 } ClutterThreadsDispatch;
 
+G_DEFINE_QUARK (clutter_pipeline_capability, clutter_pipeline_capability)
+
 /* main context */
 static ClutterContext *ClutterCntx       = NULL;
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
index dc2b07f26..6f7a11302 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@ typedef enum
  */
 #define CLUTTER_PRIORITY_REDRAW         (G_PRIORITY_HIGH_IDLE + 50)
 
+typedef enum _ClutterPipelineCapability
+{
+  CLUTTER_PIPELINE_CAPABILITY_COLOR_STATE,
+} ClutterPipelineCapability;
+
+#define CLUTTER_PIPELINE_CAPABILITY (clutter_pipeline_capability_quark ())
+CLUTTER_EXPORT
+GQuark clutter_pipeline_capability_quark (void);
+
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 void                    clutter_stage_handle_event              (ClutterStage *stage,
                                                                  ClutterEvent *event);