diff --git a/cogl/cogl-feature-private.c b/cogl/cogl-feature-private.c
index 053bd0268..44539da71 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-feature-private.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-feature-private.c
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@
 #include "cogl-context-private.h"
 
 #include "cogl-feature-private.h"
+#include "cogl-renderer-private.h"
 
 gboolean
-_cogl_feature_check (const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys,
+_cogl_feature_check (CoglRenderer *renderer,
                      const char *driver_prefix,
                      const CoglFeatureData *data,
                      int gl_major,
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ _cogl_feature_check (const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys,
 
       full_function_name = g_strconcat (data->functions[func_num].name,
                                         suffix, NULL);
-      func = _cogl_get_proc_address (winsys, full_function_name);
+      func = _cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (renderer, full_function_name);
       g_free (full_function_name);
 
       if (func == NULL)
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ _cogl_feature_check_ext_functions (CoglContext *context,
   int i;
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (cogl_feature_ext_functions_data); i++)
-    _cogl_feature_check (_cogl_context_get_winsys (context),
+    _cogl_feature_check (context->display->renderer,
                          "GL", cogl_feature_ext_functions_data + i,
                          gl_major, gl_minor, context->driver,
                          gl_extensions,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-feature-private.h b/cogl/cogl-feature-private.h
index 1cf3eed56..c2cec7c40 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-feature-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-feature-private.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct _CoglFeatureData
 };
 
 gboolean
-_cogl_feature_check (const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys,
+_cogl_feature_check (CoglRenderer *renderer,
                      const char *driver_prefix,
                      const CoglFeatureData *data,
                      int gl_major,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-glx-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl-glx-renderer-private.h
index 101623518..2d36a5f88 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-glx-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-glx-renderer-private.h
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ typedef struct _CoglGLXRenderer
   XVisualInfo *
   (* glXGetVisualFromFBConfig) (Display *dpy, GLXFBConfig config);
 
+  void *
+  (* glXGetProcAddress) (const GLubyte *procName);
+
   /* Function pointers for GLX specific extensions */
 #define COGL_WINSYS_FEATURE_BEGIN(a, b, c, d, e, f)
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
index dc279bac0..f85a84375 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
@@ -79,4 +79,8 @@ _cogl_renderer_remove_native_filter (CoglRenderer *renderer,
                                      CoglNativeFilterFunc func,
                                      void *data);
 
+void *
+_cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                 const char *name);
+
 #endif /* __COGL_RENDERER_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index be73adfe6..5a4f570e4 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -379,3 +379,12 @@ cogl_renderer_get_winsys_id (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 
   return renderer->winsys_vtable->id;
 }
+
+void *
+_cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                 const char *name)
+{
+  const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys = _cogl_renderer_get_winsys (renderer);
+
+  return winsys->renderer_get_proc_address (renderer, name);
+}
diff --git a/cogl/cogl.c b/cogl/cogl.c
index 15b914892..e3eb3c315 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include "cogl-texture-driver.h"
 #include "cogl-attribute-private.h"
 #include "cogl-framebuffer-private.h"
+#include "cogl-renderer-private.h"
 
 #ifndef GL_PACK_INVERT_MESA
 #define GL_PACK_INVERT_MESA 0x8758
@@ -92,13 +93,9 @@ cogl_gl_error_to_string (GLenum error_code)
 CoglFuncPtr
 cogl_get_proc_address (const char* name)
 {
-  const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys;
-
   _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, NULL);
 
-  winsys = _cogl_context_get_winsys (ctx);
-
-  return _cogl_get_proc_address (winsys, name);
+  return _cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (ctx->display->renderer, name);
 }
 
 gboolean
diff --git a/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-gl.c b/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-gl.c
index 3ed4b04bb..589d3da13 100644
--- a/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-gl.c
+++ b/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-gl.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include "cogl-internal.h"
 #include "cogl-context-private.h"
 #include "cogl-feature-private.h"
+#include "cogl-renderer-private.h"
 
 static gboolean
 _cogl_get_gl_version (int *major_out, int *minor_out)
@@ -137,8 +138,8 @@ _cogl_gl_update_features (CoglContext *context,
      function because we need to use it to determine what functions we
      can expect */
   context->glGetString =
-    (void *) _cogl_get_proc_address (_cogl_context_get_winsys (context),
-                                     "glGetString");
+    (void *) _cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (context->display->renderer,
+                                              "glGetString");
 
   if (!check_gl_version (context, error))
     return FALSE;
diff --git a/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-gles.c b/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-gles.c
index 8418a7ab5..1dbe433c4 100644
--- a/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-gles.c
+++ b/cogl/driver/gles/cogl-gles.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "cogl-internal.h"
 #include "cogl-context-private.h"
 #include "cogl-feature-private.h"
+#include "cogl-renderer-private.h"
 
 gboolean
 _cogl_gles_update_features (CoglContext *context,
@@ -45,8 +46,8 @@ _cogl_gles_update_features (CoglContext *context,
      function because we need to use it to determine what functions we
      can expect */
   context->glGetString =
-    (void *) _cogl_get_proc_address (_cogl_context_get_winsys (context),
-                                     "glGetString");
+    (void *) _cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (context->display->renderer,
+                                              "glGetString");
 
   COGL_NOTE (WINSYS,
              "Checking features\n"
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
index c07633373..14de1e375 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
@@ -212,9 +212,19 @@ static const CoglFeatureData winsys_feature_data[] =
   };
 
 static CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (const char *name)
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                        const char *name)
 {
-  return (CoglFuncPtr) eglGetProcAddress (name);
+  void *ptr;
+
+  ptr = eglGetProcAddress (name);
+
+  /* eglGetProcAddress doesn't support fetching core API so we need to
+     get that separately with GModule */
+  if (ptr == NULL)
+    g_module_symbol (renderer->libgl_module, name, &ptr);
+
+  return ptr;
 }
 
 #ifdef COGL_HAS_EGL_PLATFORM_ANDROID_SUPPORT
@@ -342,7 +352,6 @@ static void
 check_egl_extensions (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 {
   CoglRendererEGL *egl_renderer = renderer->winsys;
-  const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys = renderer->winsys_vtable;
   const char *egl_extensions;
   int i;
 
@@ -352,7 +361,7 @@ check_egl_extensions (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 
   egl_renderer->private_features = 0;
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (winsys_feature_data); i++)
-    if (_cogl_feature_check (winsys,
+    if (_cogl_feature_check (renderer,
                              "EGL", winsys_feature_data + i, 0, 0,
                              COGL_DRIVER_GL, /* the driver isn't used */
                              egl_extensions,
@@ -1657,7 +1666,7 @@ static CoglWinsysVtable _cogl_winsys_vtable =
   {
     .id = COGL_WINSYS_ID_EGL,
     .name = "EGL",
-    .get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_get_proc_address,
+    .renderer_get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address,
     .renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect,
     .renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect,
     .display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup,
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index 12d7a54a6..a092bc7a0 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@
 #include <GL/glx.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 
-typedef CoglFuncPtr (*GLXGetProcAddressProc) (const GLubyte *procName);
-
 #ifdef HAVE_DRM
 #include <drm.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
@@ -138,44 +136,12 @@ static const CoglFeatureData winsys_feature_data[] =
   };
 
 static CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (const char *name)
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                        const char *name)
 {
-  static GLXGetProcAddressProc get_proc_func = NULL;
-  static void *dlhand = NULL;
+  CoglGLXRenderer *glx_renderer = renderer->winsys;
 
-  if (get_proc_func == NULL && dlhand == NULL)
-    {
-      dlhand = dlopen (NULL, RTLD_LAZY);
-
-      if (!dlhand)
-        {
-          g_warning ("Failed to dlopen (NULL, RTDL_LAZY): %s", dlerror ());
-          return NULL;
-        }
-
-      dlerror ();
-
-      get_proc_func =
-        (GLXGetProcAddressProc) dlsym (dlhand, "glXGetProcAddress");
-
-      if (dlerror () != NULL)
-        {
-          get_proc_func =
-            (GLXGetProcAddressProc) dlsym (dlhand, "glXGetProcAddressARB");
-        }
-
-      if (dlerror () != NULL)
-        {
-          get_proc_func = NULL;
-          g_warning ("failed to bind GLXGetProcAddress "
-                     "or GLXGetProcAddressARB");
-        }
-    }
-
-  if (get_proc_func)
-    return get_proc_func ((GLubyte *) name);
-
-  return NULL;
+  return glx_renderer->glXGetProcAddress ((const GLubyte *) name);
 }
 
 static CoglOnscreen *
@@ -316,7 +282,11 @@ resolve_core_glx_functions (CoglRenderer *renderer,
       !g_module_symbol (glx_renderer->libgl_module, "glXDestroyWindow",
                         (void **) &glx_renderer->glXDestroyWindow) ||
       !g_module_symbol (glx_renderer->libgl_module, "glXQueryExtensionsString",
-                        (void **) &glx_renderer->glXQueryExtensionsString))
+                        (void **) &glx_renderer->glXQueryExtensionsString) ||
+      (!g_module_symbol (glx_renderer->libgl_module, "glXGetProcAddress",
+                         (void **) &glx_renderer->glXGetProcAddress) &&
+       !g_module_symbol (glx_renderer->libgl_module, "glXGetProcAddressARB",
+                         (void **) &glx_renderer->glXGetProcAddress)))
     {
       g_set_error (error, COGL_WINSYS_ERROR,
                    COGL_WINSYS_ERROR_INIT,
@@ -419,7 +389,7 @@ update_winsys_features (CoglContext *context, GError **error)
                   TRUE);
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (winsys_feature_data); i++)
-    if (_cogl_feature_check (_cogl_context_get_winsys (context),
+    if (_cogl_feature_check (context->display->renderer,
                              "GLX", winsys_feature_data + i, 0, 0,
                              COGL_DRIVER_GL, /* the driver isn't used */
                              glx_extensions,
@@ -1992,7 +1962,7 @@ static CoglWinsysVtable _cogl_winsys_vtable =
   {
     .id = COGL_WINSYS_ID_GLX,
     .name = "GLX",
-    .get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_get_proc_address,
+    .renderer_get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address,
     .renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect,
     .renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect,
     .display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup,
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
index 5822479d6..88df22d48 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
   /* Required functions */
 
   CoglFuncPtr
-  (*get_proc_address) (const char *name);
+  (*renderer_get_proc_address) (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                const char *name);
 
   gboolean
   (*renderer_connect) (CoglRenderer *renderer, GError **error);
@@ -158,8 +159,4 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
 gboolean
 _cogl_winsys_has_feature (CoglWinsysFeature feature);
 
-CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_get_proc_address (const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys,
-                        const char *name);
-
 #endif /* __COGL_WINSYS_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-sdl.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-sdl.c
index 9c937e4bc..bb8908b21 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-sdl.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-sdl.c
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
 #include "cogl.h"
 
 CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (const char *name)
+_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                               const char *name)
 {
   return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-stub.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-stub.c
index 565814afe..81d80343f 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-stub.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-stub.c
@@ -45,8 +45,24 @@ static int _cogl_winsys_stub_dummy_ptr;
  */
 
 static CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (const char *name)
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                        const char *name)
 {
+  static GModule *module = NULL;
+
+  /* this should find the right function if the program is linked against a
+   * library providing it */
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (module == NULL))
+    module = g_module_open (NULL, 0);
+
+  if (module)
+    {
+      void *symbol;
+
+      if (g_module_symbol (module, name, &symbol))
+        return symbol;
+    }
+
   return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -134,7 +150,7 @@ static CoglWinsysVtable _cogl_winsys_vtable =
   {
     .id = COGL_WINSYS_ID_STUB,
     .name = "STUB",
-    .get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_get_proc_address,
+    .renderer_get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address,
     .renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect,
     .renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect,
     .display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup,
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-wgl.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-wgl.c
index d07391ded..fac0161a8 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-wgl.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-wgl.c
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ static const CoglFeatureData winsys_feature_data[] =
   };
 
 static CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_winsys_get_proc_address (const char *name)
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
+                                        const char *name)
 {
   return (CoglFuncPtr) wglGetProcAddress ((LPCSTR) name);
 }
@@ -569,7 +570,7 @@ update_winsys_features (CoglContext *context, GError **error)
       COGL_NOTE (WINSYS, "  WGL Extensions: %s", wgl_extensions);
 
       for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (winsys_feature_data); i++)
-        if (_cogl_feature_check (_cogl_context_get_winsys (context),
+        if (_cogl_feature_check (context->display->renderer,
                                  "WGL", winsys_feature_data + i, 0, 0,
                                  COGL_DRIVER_GL,
                                  wgl_extensions,
@@ -833,7 +834,7 @@ _cogl_winsys_wgl_get_vtable (void)
 
       vtable.id = COGL_WINSYS_ID_EGL;
       vtable.name = "WGL";
-      vtable.get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_get_proc_address;
+      vtable.renderer_get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address;
       vtable.renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect;
       vtable.renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect;
       vtable.display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup;
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys.c
index e75b906ff..b5669db14 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys.c
@@ -45,32 +45,3 @@ _cogl_winsys_has_feature (CoglWinsysFeature feature)
 
   return COGL_FLAGS_GET (ctx->winsys_features, feature);
 }
-
-/* XXX: we would call this _cogl_winsys_get_proc_address but that
- * currently collides with the per winsys implementation names we use.
- * */
-CoglFuncPtr
-_cogl_get_proc_address (const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys,
-                        const char *name)
-{
-  void *address = winsys->get_proc_address (name);
-  static GModule *module = NULL;
-
-  if (address)
-    return address;
-
-  /* this should find the right function if the program is linked against a
-   * library providing it */
-  if (G_UNLIKELY (module == NULL))
-    module = g_module_open (NULL, 0);
-
-  if (module)
-    {
-      gpointer symbol;
-
-      if (g_module_symbol (module, name, &symbol))
-        return symbol;
-    }
-
-  return NULL;
-}