diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index 5b37d8634..38f7a36d7 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -773,6 +773,17 @@ cogl_renderer_create_dma_buf (CoglRenderer  *renderer,
   return NULL;
 }
 
+gboolean
+cogl_renderer_is_dma_buf_supported (CoglRenderer *renderer)
+{
+  const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys = _cogl_renderer_get_winsys (renderer);
+
+  if (winsys->renderer_is_dma_buf_supported)
+    return winsys->renderer_is_dma_buf_supported (renderer);
+  else
+    return FALSE;
+}
+
 void
 cogl_renderer_bind_api (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 {
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
index 70910c07b..eef0e40ad 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
@@ -419,6 +419,16 @@ cogl_renderer_create_dma_buf (CoglRenderer  *renderer,
                               int            height,
                               GError       **error);
 
+
+/**
+ * cogl_renderer_is_dma_buf_supported: (skip)
+ * @renderer: A #CoglRenderer
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE if DMA buffers can be allocated
+ */
+COGL_EXPORT gboolean
+cogl_renderer_is_dma_buf_supported (CoglRenderer *renderer);
+
 /**
  * cogl_renderer_bind_api: (skip)
  */
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
index b323a704d..45aec7ea6 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
@@ -73,11 +73,12 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
 
   GCallback
   (*renderer_get_proc_address) (CoglRenderer *renderer,
-                                const char *name,
-                                gboolean in_core);
+                                const char   *name,
+                                gboolean      in_core);
 
   gboolean
-  (*renderer_connect) (CoglRenderer *renderer, GError **error);
+  (*renderer_connect) (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                       GError      **error);
 
   void
   (*renderer_disconnect) (CoglRenderer *renderer);
@@ -86,7 +87,8 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
   (*renderer_outputs_changed) (CoglRenderer *renderer);
 
   gboolean
-  (*display_setup) (CoglDisplay *display, GError **error);
+  (*display_setup) (CoglDisplay *display,
+                    GError     **error);
 
   void
   (*display_destroy) (CoglDisplay *display);
@@ -97,11 +99,15 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
                               int            height,
                               GError       **error);
 
+  gboolean
+  (*renderer_is_dma_buf_supported) (CoglRenderer *renderer);
+
   void
   (*renderer_bind_api) (CoglRenderer *renderer);
 
   gboolean
-  (*context_init) (CoglContext *context, GError **error);
+  (*context_init) (CoglContext *context,
+                   GError     **error);
 
   void
   (*context_deinit) (CoglContext *context);
@@ -115,15 +121,15 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
   (*texture_pixmap_x11_free) (CoglTexturePixmapX11 *tex_pixmap);
 
   gboolean
-  (*texture_pixmap_x11_update) (CoglTexturePixmapX11 *tex_pixmap,
+  (*texture_pixmap_x11_update) (CoglTexturePixmapX11       *tex_pixmap,
                                 CoglTexturePixmapStereoMode stereo_mode,
-                                gboolean needs_mipmap);
+                                gboolean                    needs_mipmap);
 
   void
   (*texture_pixmap_x11_damage_notify) (CoglTexturePixmapX11 *tex_pixmap);
 
   CoglTexture *
-  (*texture_pixmap_x11_get_texture) (CoglTexturePixmapX11 *tex_pixmap,
+  (*texture_pixmap_x11_get_texture) (CoglTexturePixmapX11       *tex_pixmap,
                                      CoglTexturePixmapStereoMode stereo_mode);
 #endif
 
@@ -131,10 +137,12 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
   (*fence_add) (CoglContext *ctx);
 
   gboolean
-  (*fence_is_complete) (CoglContext *ctx, void *fence);
+  (*fence_is_complete) (CoglContext *ctx,
+                        void        *fence);
 
   void
-  (*fence_destroy) (CoglContext *ctx, void *fence);
+  (*fence_destroy) (CoglContext *ctx,
+                    void        *fence);
 
 } CoglWinsysVtable;
 
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-renderer-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-renderer-native.c
index d63ac23bf..28ea94e9d 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-renderer-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-renderer-native.c
@@ -970,6 +970,27 @@ meta_renderer_native_create_dma_buf (CoglRenderer  *cogl_renderer,
   return NULL;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+meta_renderer_native_is_dma_buf_supported (CoglRenderer *cogl_renderer)
+{
+  CoglRendererEGL *cogl_renderer_egl = cogl_renderer->winsys;
+  MetaRendererNativeGpuData *renderer_gpu_data = cogl_renderer_egl->platform;
+  MetaRenderDevice *render_device = renderer_gpu_data->render_device;
+
+  switch (renderer_gpu_data->mode)
+    {
+    case META_RENDERER_NATIVE_MODE_GBM:
+      return meta_render_device_is_hardware_accelerated (render_device);
+    case META_RENDERER_NATIVE_MODE_SURFACELESS:
+#ifdef HAVE_EGL_DEVICE
+    case META_RENDERER_NATIVE_MODE_EGL_DEVICE:
+#endif
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  g_assert_not_reached ();
+}
+
 static gboolean
 meta_renderer_native_init_egl_context (CoglContext *cogl_context,
                                        GError     **error)
@@ -1114,6 +1135,8 @@ get_native_cogl_winsys_vtable (CoglRenderer *cogl_renderer)
       vtable.renderer_connect = meta_renderer_native_connect;
       vtable.renderer_disconnect = meta_renderer_native_disconnect;
       vtable.renderer_create_dma_buf = meta_renderer_native_create_dma_buf;
+      vtable.renderer_is_dma_buf_supported =
+        meta_renderer_native_is_dma_buf_supported;
 
       vtable_inited = TRUE;
     }