diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
index 8627b6cc6..33ed0ceac 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct _CoglRenderer
   Display *foreign_xdpy;
   CoglBool xlib_enable_event_retrieval;
   CoglBool xlib_want_reset_on_video_memory_purge;
+  CoglBool xlib_enable_threaded_swap_wait;
 #endif
 
   CoglDriver driver;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index 51a04ffdd..e6575d808 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -285,6 +285,17 @@ cogl_xlib_renderer_request_reset_on_video_memory_purge (CoglRenderer *renderer,
 
   renderer->xlib_want_reset_on_video_memory_purge = enable;
 }
+
+void
+cogl_xlib_renderer_set_threaded_swap_wait_enabled (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+						   CoglBool enable)
+{
+  _COGL_RETURN_IF_FAIL (cogl_is_renderer (renderer));
+  /* NB: Renderers are considered immutable once connected */
+  _COGL_RETURN_IF_FAIL (!renderer->connected);
+
+  renderer->xlib_enable_threaded_swap_wait = enable;
+}
 #endif /* COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT */
 
 CoglBool
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.h
index f3c1d7c09..3c0db189b 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.h
@@ -167,6 +167,36 @@ void
 cogl_xlib_renderer_set_event_retrieval_enabled (CoglRenderer *renderer,
                                                 CoglBool enable);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_xlib_renderer_set_threaded_swap_wait_enabled:
+ * @renderer: a #CoglRenderer
+ * @enable: The new value
+ *
+ * Sets whether Cogl is allowed to use a separate threaded to wait for the
+ * completion of glXSwapBuffers() and call the frame callback for the
+ * corresponding #CoglOnscreen. This is a way of emulating the
+ * INTEL_swap_event extension, and will only ever be used if
+ * INTEL_swap_event is not present; it will also only be used for
+ * specific white-listed drivers that are known to work correctly with
+ * multiple contexts sharing state between threads.
+ *
+ * The advantage of enabling this is that it will allow your main loop
+ * to do other work while waiting for the system to be ready to draw
+ * the next frame, instead of blocking in glXSwapBuffers(). A disadvantage
+ * is that the driver will be prevented from buffering up multiple frames
+ * even if it thinks that it would be advantageous. In general, this
+ * will work best for something like a system compositor that is doing
+ * simple drawing but handling lots of other complex tasks.
+ * 
+ * If you enable this, you must call XInitThreads() before any other
+ * X11 calls in your program. (See the documentation for XInitThreads())
+ *
+ * Stability: unstable
+ */
+void
+cogl_xlib_renderer_set_threaded_swap_wait_enabled (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+						   CoglBool enable);
+
 /**
  * cogl_xlib_renderer_get_display: (skip)
  */
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index 1418d1501..74b0895d1 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -901,6 +901,7 @@ update_winsys_features (CoglContext *context, CoglError **error)
     {
       CoglGpuInfo *info = &context->gpu;
       if (glx_display->have_vblank_counter &&
+	  context->display->renderer->xlib_enable_threaded_swap_wait &&
 	  info->vendor == COGL_GPU_INFO_VENDOR_NVIDIA)
         {
           COGL_FLAGS_SET (context->winsys_features,