diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-dma-buf.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-dma-buf.c
index 289e25552..0f6f6be02 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-dma-buf.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-dma-buf.c
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ should_send_modifiers (MetaBackend *backend)
 
   renderer_native = META_RENDERER_NATIVE (meta_backend_get_renderer (backend));
   gpu_kms = meta_renderer_native_get_primary_gpu (renderer_native);
+  if (!gpu_kms)
+    return TRUE;
+
   kms_device = meta_gpu_kms_get_kms_device (gpu_kms);
 
   flags = meta_kms_device_get_flags (kms_device);