diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
index b463c7869..46cc303aa 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
@@ -165,8 +165,9 @@ clutter_backend_real_resolution_changed (ClutterBackend *backend)
 #endif
 
 static gboolean
-clutter_backend_real_create_context (ClutterBackend  *backend,
-                                     GError         **error)
+clutter_backend_do_real_create_context (ClutterBackend  *backend,
+                                        CoglDriverId     driver_id,
+                                        GError         **error)
 {
   ClutterBackendClass *klass;
 
@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@ clutter_backend_real_create_context (ClutterBackend  *backend,
     goto error;
 
   CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Connecting the renderer");
+  cogl_renderer_set_driver (backend->cogl_renderer, driver_id);
   if (!cogl_renderer_connect (backend->cogl_renderer, error))
     goto error;
 
@@ -201,9 +203,6 @@ clutter_backend_real_create_context (ClutterBackend  *backend,
   /* the display owns the renderer and the swap chain */
   g_object_unref (backend->cogl_renderer);
 
-  backend->cogl_source = cogl_glib_source_new (backend->cogl_renderer, G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
-  g_source_attach (backend->cogl_source, NULL);
-
   return TRUE;
 
 error:
@@ -213,6 +212,80 @@ error:
   return FALSE;
 }
 
+static const struct {
+  const char *driver_name;
+  const char *driver_desc;
+  CoglDriverId driver_id;
+} all_known_drivers[] = {
+  { "gl3", "OpenGL 3.1 core profile", COGL_DRIVER_ID_GL3 },
+  { "gles2", "OpenGL ES 2.0", COGL_DRIVER_ID_GLES2 },
+  { "any", "Default Cogl driver", COGL_DRIVER_ID_ANY },
+};
+
+static gboolean
+clutter_backend_real_create_context (ClutterBackend  *backend,
+                                     GError         **error)
+{
+  GError *internal_error = NULL;
+  const char *drivers_list;
+  char **known_drivers;
+  int i;
+
+  if (backend->cogl_context != NULL)
+    return TRUE;
+
+  drivers_list = g_getenv ("CLUTTER_DRIVER");
+  if (drivers_list == NULL)
+    drivers_list = "*";
+
+  known_drivers = g_strsplit (drivers_list, ",", 0);
+
+  for (i = 0; backend->cogl_context == NULL && known_drivers[i] != NULL; i++)
+    {
+      const char *driver_name = known_drivers[i];
+      gboolean is_any = g_str_equal (driver_name, "*");
+      int j;
+
+      for (j = 0; j < G_N_ELEMENTS (all_known_drivers); j++)
+        {
+          if (is_any ||
+              g_str_equal (all_known_drivers[j].driver_name, driver_name))
+            {
+              CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Checking for the %s driver", all_known_drivers[j].driver_desc);
+
+              if (clutter_backend_do_real_create_context (backend, all_known_drivers[j].driver_id, &internal_error))
+                break;
+
+              if (internal_error)
+                {
+                  CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Unable to use the %s driver: %s",
+                                all_known_drivers[j].driver_desc,
+                                internal_error->message);
+                  g_clear_error (&internal_error);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+  g_strfreev (known_drivers);
+
+  if (backend->cogl_context == NULL)
+    {
+      if (internal_error != NULL)
+        g_propagate_error (error, internal_error);
+      else
+        g_set_error_literal (error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_FAILED,
+                             "Unable to initialize the Clutter backend: no available drivers found.");
+
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  backend->cogl_source = cogl_glib_source_new (backend->cogl_renderer, G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
+  g_source_attach (backend->cogl_source, NULL);
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
 static void
 clutter_backend_class_init (ClutterBackendClass *klass)
 {