diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-context.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-context.c
index 37e1715ae..79e748785 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-context.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-context.c
@@ -224,6 +224,8 @@ cogl_context_new (CoglDisplay *display,
   memset (context->winsys_features, 0, sizeof (context->winsys_features));
 
   context->display = g_object_ref (display);
+  /* Keep a backpointer to the context */
+  display->context = context;
 
   /* This is duplicated data, but it's much more convenient to have
      the driver attached to the context and the value is accessed a
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-display-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-display-private.h
index d88a0847b..d09c994b1 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-display-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-display-private.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ struct _CoglDisplay
 {
   GObjectClass parnet_class;
 
+  CoglContext *context;
+
   gboolean setup;
   CoglRenderer *renderer;
   CoglOnscreenTemplate *onscreen_template;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-display.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-display.c
index fca1b8e1b..796031db8 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-display.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-display.c
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ cogl_display_new (CoglRenderer         *renderer,
   CoglDisplay *display = g_object_new (COGL_TYPE_DISPLAY, NULL);
 
   display->renderer = g_object_ref (renderer);
+  renderer->display = display;
   display->setup = FALSE;
 
   cogl_display_set_onscreen_template (display, onscreen_template);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
index 1949f5943..d5e832e55 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ typedef const CoglWinsysVtable *(*CoglCustomWinsysVtableGetter) (CoglRenderer *r
 struct _CoglRenderer
 {
   GObject parent_instance;
+
+  CoglDisplay *display;
+
   gboolean connected;
   CoglDriver driver_override;
   const CoglDriverVtable *driver_vtable;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index a6851ce53..bed116eff 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -261,8 +261,7 @@ static gboolean
 update_all_outputs (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 {
   GList *l;
-
-  _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (context, FALSE);
+  CoglContext *context = renderer->display->context;
 
   if (context->display == NULL) /* during connection */
     return FALSE;