diff --git a/README b/README
index e28a467f3..97521a4b3 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ Release Notes for Clutter 1.0
 * cogl_shader_get_parameteriv has been replaced by cogl_shader_get_type and
   cogl_shader_is_compiled. More getters can be added later if desired.
 
+* cogl_enable_depth_test has been renamed to cogl_set_depth_test_enabled and
+  a corresponding cogl_get_depth_test_enabled function has been added.
+
 Release Notes for Clutter 0.8
 -------------------------------
 
diff --git a/clutter/cogl/cogl-deprecated.h b/clutter/cogl/cogl-deprecated.h
index 2111e48b4..41e77b3d6 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/cogl-deprecated.h
+++ b/clutter/cogl/cogl-deprecated.h
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@
 #ifndef COGL_DEPRECATED_H
 
 #define cogl_color              cogl_color_REPLACED_BY_cogl_set_source_color
+#define cogl_enable_depth_test  cogl_enable_depth_test_RENAMED_TO_cogl_set_depth_test_enabled
 
 #endif
diff --git a/clutter/cogl/cogl.h.in b/clutter/cogl/cogl.h.in
index e66cbc394..188af09cd 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/cogl.h.in
+++ b/clutter/cogl/cogl.h.in
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ void            cogl_set_projection_matrix    (CoglMatrix *matrix);
 void            cogl_get_viewport             (float        v[4]);
 
 /**
- * cogl_enable_depth_test:
+ * cogl_set_depth_test_enable:
  * @setting: %TRUE to enable depth testing or %FALSE to disable.
  *
  * Sets whether depth testing is enabled. If it is disabled then the
@@ -340,10 +340,19 @@ void            cogl_get_viewport             (float        v[4]);
  * clutter_actor_lower(), otherwise it will also take into account the
  * actor's depth. Depth testing is disabled by default.
  */
-void            cogl_enable_depth_test        (gboolean            setting);
+void            cogl_set_depth_test_enable    (gboolean setting);
 
 /**
- * cogl_enable_backface_culling:
+ * cogl_get_depth_test_enable:
+ *
+ * Queries if depth testing has been enabled via cogl_set_depth_test_enable()
+ *
+ * Returns: TRUE if depth testing is enabled else FALSE
+ */
+gboolean        cogl_get_depth_test_enable    (void);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled:
  * @setting: %TRUE to enable backface culling or %FALSE to disable.
  *
  * Sets whether textures positioned so that their backface is showing
@@ -352,7 +361,17 @@ void            cogl_enable_depth_test        (gboolean            setting);
  * only affects calls to the cogl_rectangle* family of functions and
  * cogl_vertex_buffer_draw*. Backface culling is disabled by default.
  */
-void            cogl_enable_backface_culling  (gboolean            setting);
+void            cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled (gboolean setting);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_get_backface_culling_enabled:
+ *
+ * Queries if backface culling has been enabled via
+ * cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled()
+ *
+ * Returns: TRUE if backface culling is enabled else FALSE
+ */
+gboolean        cogl_get_backface_culling_enabled (void);
 
 /**
  * cogl_set_fog:
diff --git a/clutter/cogl/common/cogl.c b/clutter/cogl/common/cogl.c
index 81c43bd5e..adeb479d2 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/common/cogl.c
+++ b/clutter/cogl/common/cogl.c
@@ -214,30 +214,39 @@ cogl_get_enable ()
 }
 
 void
-cogl_enable_depth_test (gboolean setting)
+cogl_set_depth_test_enabled (gboolean setting)
 {
   if (setting)
     {
       glEnable (GL_DEPTH_TEST);
-      glEnable (GL_ALPHA_TEST);
       glDepthFunc (GL_LEQUAL);
-      glAlphaFunc (GL_GREATER, 0.1);
     }
   else
-    {
-      glDisable (GL_DEPTH_TEST);
-      glDisable (GL_ALPHA_TEST);
-    }
+    glDisable (GL_DEPTH_TEST);
+}
+
+gboolean
+cogl_get_depth_test_enabled (void)
+{
+  return glIsEnabled (GL_DEPTH_TEST) == GL_TRUE ? TRUE : FALSE;
 }
 
 void
-cogl_enable_backface_culling (gboolean setting)
+cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled (gboolean setting)
 {
   _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, NO_RETVAL);
 
   ctx->enable_backface_culling = setting;
 }
 
+gboolean
+cogl_get_backface_culling_enabled (void)
+{
+  _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, FALSE);
+
+  return ctx->enable_backface_culling;
+}
+
 void
 cogl_set_source_color (const CoglColor *color)
 {
diff --git a/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt b/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
index 5855a90b1..c34585ff1 100644
--- a/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@ cogl_get_viewport
 <SUBSECTION>
 cogl_clear
 cogl_get_bitmasks
-cogl_enable_depth_test
-cogl_enable_backface_culling
+cogl_set_depth_test_enabled
+cogl_get_depth_test_enabled
+cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled
+cogl_get_backface_culling_enabled
 <SUBSECTION>
 CoglFogMode
 cogl_set_fog
diff --git a/tests/conform/test-backface-culling.c b/tests/conform/test-backface-culling.c
index 00f36bfba..bfddcf105 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-backface-culling.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-backface-culling.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ on_paint (ClutterActor *actor, TestState *state)
   int i;
   int frame_num;
 
-  cogl_enable_backface_culling (TRUE);
+  cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled (TRUE);
 
   cogl_push_matrix ();
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ on_paint (ClutterActor *actor, TestState *state)
       /* The second time round draw beneath the first with backface
          culling disabled */
       cogl_translate (0, TEXTURE_RENDER_SIZE, 0);
-      cogl_enable_backface_culling (FALSE);
+      cogl_set_backface_culling_enabled (FALSE);
     }
 
   cogl_pop_matrix ();