diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-atlas-texture.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-atlas-texture.c
index 41b30616c..873b08022 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-atlas-texture.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-atlas-texture.c
@@ -832,9 +832,6 @@ cogl_atlas_texture_class_init (CoglAtlasTextureClass *klass)
 static void
 cogl_atlas_texture_init (CoglAtlasTexture *self)
 {
-  CoglTexture *texture = COGL_TEXTURE (self);
-
-  texture->is_primitive = FALSE;
 }
 
 static CoglTexture *
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-sub-texture.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-sub-texture.c
index 7a22122a7..692c578ee 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-sub-texture.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-sub-texture.c
@@ -383,9 +383,6 @@ cogl_sub_texture_class_init (CoglSubTextureClass *klass)
 static void
 cogl_sub_texture_init (CoglSubTexture *self)
 {
-  CoglTexture *texture = COGL_TEXTURE (self);
-
-  texture->is_primitive = FALSE;
 }
 
 CoglTexture *
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d-sliced.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d-sliced.c
index 6a8df1eb4..7c3981e6a 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d-sliced.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d-sliced.c
@@ -1205,9 +1205,6 @@ cogl_texture_2d_sliced_class_init (CoglTexture2DSlicedClass *klass)
 static void
 cogl_texture_2d_sliced_init (CoglTexture2DSliced *self)
 {
-  CoglTexture *texture = COGL_TEXTURE (self);
-
-  texture->is_primitive = FALSE;
 }
 
 static CoglTexture *
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
index d08e53a2d..94cbb16ef 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ _cogl_texture_2d_create_base (CoglContext *ctx,
                                         "height", height,
                                         "loader", loader,
                                         "format", internal_format,
+                                        "is-primitive", TRUE,
                                         NULL);
   tex_2d->mipmaps_dirty = TRUE;
   tex_2d->auto_mipmap = TRUE;
@@ -346,9 +347,6 @@ cogl_texture_2d_class_init (CoglTexture2DClass *klass)
 static void
 cogl_texture_2d_init (CoglTexture2D *self)
 {
-  CoglTexture *texture = COGL_TEXTURE (self);
-
-  texture->is_primitive = TRUE;
 }
 
 CoglTexture *
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture.c
index a20b06217..6d0902614 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-texture.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ enum
   PROP_HEIGHT,
   PROP_LOADER,
   PROP_FORMAT,
+  PROP_IS_PRIMITIVE,
 
   PROP_LAST
 };
@@ -151,6 +152,10 @@ cogl_texture_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
       texture->premultiplied = TRUE;
       break;
 
+    case PROP_IS_PRIMITIVE:
+      texture->is_primitive = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+      break;
+
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (gobject, prop_id, pspec);
       break;
@@ -192,6 +197,10 @@ cogl_texture_class_init (CoglTextureClass *klass)
                        COGL_PIXEL_FORMAT_ANY,
                        G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
                        G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  obj_props[PROP_IS_PRIMITIVE] =
+    g_param_spec_boolean ("is-primitive", NULL, NULL,
+                          FALSE, G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+                          G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
 
   g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class,
                                      PROP_LAST,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-texture-pixmap-x11.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-texture-pixmap-x11.c
index 0314598d3..f904b0593 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-texture-pixmap-x11.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-texture-pixmap-x11.c
@@ -984,9 +984,6 @@ cogl_texture_pixmap_x11_class_init (CoglTexturePixmapX11Class *klass)
 static void
 cogl_texture_pixmap_x11_init (CoglTexturePixmapX11 *self)
 {
-  CoglTexture *texture = COGL_TEXTURE (self);
-
-  texture->is_primitive = FALSE;
 }
 
 uint32_t