diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-device.c b/src/backends/meta-color-device.c
index 849099596..aa4c6780e 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-color-device.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-device.c
@@ -697,6 +697,13 @@ update_color_state (MetaColorDevice *color_device)
   colorspace = get_color_space_from_monitor (monitor);
   eotf = get_eotf_from_monitor (monitor);
 
+  if (meta_debug_control_is_hdr_forced (debug_control))
+    {
+      colorspace = CLUTTER_COLORSPACE_BT2020;
+      eotf.type = CLUTTER_EOTF_TYPE_NAMED;
+      eotf.tf_name = CLUTTER_TRANSFER_FUNCTION_PQ;
+    }
+
   luminance = clutter_eotf_get_default_luminance (eotf);
 
   reference_luminance_factor =
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index eb5907469..817caf726 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -1288,6 +1288,10 @@ on_started (MetaContext        *context,
                          G_CALLBACK (meta_monitor_manager_reconfigure),
                          monitor_manager, NULL,
                          G_CONNECT_SWAPPED | G_CONNECT_AFTER);
+  g_signal_connect_data (debug_control, "notify::force-hdr",
+                         G_CALLBACK (meta_monitor_manager_reconfigure),
+                         monitor_manager, NULL,
+                         G_CONNECT_SWAPPED | G_CONNECT_AFTER);
   g_signal_connect_data (debug_control, "notify::force-linear-blending",
                          G_CALLBACK (meta_monitor_manager_reconfigure),
                          monitor_manager, NULL,