diff --git a/cogl/cogl-material-glsl.c b/cogl/cogl-material-glsl.c
index 74d2dbe9e..0b2cf6eb8 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-material-glsl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-material-glsl.c
@@ -68,9 +68,6 @@ _cogl_material_backend_glsl_start (CoglMaterial *material,
   if (!cogl_features_available (COGL_FEATURE_SHADERS_GLSL))
     return FALSE;
 
-  /* FIXME: This will likely conflict with the GLES 2 backends use of
-   * glUseProgram.
-   */
   if (materials_difference & COGL_MATERIAL_STATE_USER_SHADER)
     {
       CoglMaterial *authority =
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-material-opengl-private.h b/cogl/cogl-material-opengl-private.h
index fdd5a19a6..d12a555db 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-material-opengl-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-material-opengl-private.h
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void
 _cogl_delete_gl_texture (GLuint gl_texture);
 
 void
-_cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (GLuint program);
+_cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (CoglHandle program);
 
 void
 _cogl_material_flush_gl_state (CoglMaterial *material,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-material-opengl.c b/cogl/cogl-material-opengl.c
index 336d2e2fa..d7f7f03c8 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-material-opengl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-material-opengl.c
@@ -282,21 +282,30 @@ _cogl_material_texture_storage_change_notify (CoglHandle texture)
 }
 
 void
-_cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (GLuint program)
+_cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (CoglHandle program_handle)
 {
 #ifdef COGL_MATERIAL_BACKEND_GLSL
   _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, NO_RETVAL);
 
-  if (ctx->current_gl_program == program)
+#ifndef HAVE_COGL_GLES2
+  CoglProgram *program = (CoglProgram *)program_handle;
+  GLuint gl_program;
+
+  if (program_handle != COGL_INVALID_HANDLE)
+    gl_program = program->gl_handle;
+  else
+    gl_program = 0;
+
+  if (ctx->current_gl_program == gl_program)
     return;
 
-  if (program)
+  if (gl_program != 0)
     {
       GLenum gl_error;
 
       while ((gl_error = glGetError ()) != GL_NO_ERROR)
         ;
-      glUseProgram (program);
+      glUseProgram (gl_program);
       if (glGetError () != GL_NO_ERROR)
         {
           GE (glUseProgram (0));
@@ -307,7 +316,12 @@ _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (GLuint program)
   else
     GE (glUseProgram (0));
 
-  ctx->current_gl_program = program;
+  ctx->current_gl_program = gl_program;
+#else /* HAVE_COGL_GLES2 */
+  ctx->drv.gles2.settings.user_program = program_handle;
+  ctx->drv.gles2.settings_dirty = TRUE;
+#endif /* HAVE_COGL_GLES2 */
+
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -332,16 +346,8 @@ _cogl_use_program (CoglHandle program_handle, CoglMaterialProgramType type)
 #ifdef COGL_MATERIAL_BACKEND_GLSL
     case COGL_MATERIAL_PROGRAM_TYPE_GLSL:
       {
-        /* The GLES2 backend currently manages its own codegen for
-         * fixed function API fallbacks and manages its own shader
-         * state.  */
-#ifndef HAVE_COGL_GLES2
-        CoglProgram *program =
-          _cogl_program_pointer_from_handle (program_handle);
-
-        _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+        _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program_handle);
         disable_arbfp ();
-#endif
 
         ctx->current_use_program_type = type;
         break;
diff --git a/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-program.c b/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-program.c
index bf630adc8..fd0a546af 100644
--- a/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-program.c
+++ b/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-program.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ cogl_program_uniform_1f (int uniform_no,
 
   g_return_if_fail (program != NULL);
 
-  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program);
 
   GE (glUniform1f (uniform_no, value));
 }
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ cogl_program_uniform_1i (int uniform_no,
 
   g_return_if_fail (program != NULL);
 
-  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program);
 
   GE (glUniform1i (uniform_no, value));
 }
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ cogl_program_uniform_float (int  uniform_no,
 
   g_return_if_fail (program != NULL);
 
-  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program);
 
   switch (size)
     {
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ cogl_program_uniform_int (int  uniform_no,
 
   g_return_if_fail (program != NULL);
 
-  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program);
 
   switch (size)
     {
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ cogl_program_uniform_matrix (int   uniform_no,
 
   g_return_if_fail (program != NULL);
 
-  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program->gl_handle);
+  _cogl_gl_use_program_wrapper (program);
 
   switch (size)
     {
diff --git a/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-program.c b/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-program.c
index a3c51cdcb..7852cf99a 100644
--- a/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-program.c
+++ b/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-program.c
@@ -127,9 +127,6 @@ cogl_program_use (CoglHandle handle)
   else if (handle == 0 && ctx->current_program != 0)
     ctx->legacy_state_set--;
 
-  ctx->drv.gles2.settings.user_program = handle;
-  ctx->drv.gles2.settings_dirty = TRUE;
-
   if (handle != COGL_INVALID_HANDLE)
     cogl_handle_ref (handle);
   if (ctx->current_program != COGL_INVALID_HANDLE)