diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 81ba12b57..bf34d3213 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -2700,6 +2700,10 @@ needs_flatten_effect (ClutterActor *self)
 {
   ClutterActorPrivate *priv = self->priv;
 
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (clutter_paint_debug_flags &
+                  CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_OFFSCREEN_REDIRECT))
+    return FALSE;
+
   switch (priv->offscreen_redirect)
     {
     case CLUTTER_OFFSCREEN_REDIRECT_AUTOMATIC_FOR_OPACITY:
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-debug.h b/clutter/clutter-debug.h
index f3ee80515..9ee1e4447 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-debug.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-debug.h
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ typedef enum {
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CLIPPED_REDRAWS = 1 << 1,
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_REDRAWS                 = 1 << 2,
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_PAINT_VOLUMES           = 1 << 3,
-  CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING         = 1 << 4
+  CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING         = 1 << 4,
+  CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_OFFSCREEN_REDIRECT = 1 << 5
 } ClutterDrawDebugFlag;
 
 #ifdef CLUTTER_ENABLE_DEBUG
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index b7a63f472..934ca26d2 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -180,7 +180,8 @@ static const GDebugKey clutter_paint_debug_keys[] = {
   { "disable-clipped-redraws", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CLIPPED_REDRAWS },
   { "redraws", CLUTTER_DEBUG_REDRAWS },
   { "paint-volumes", CLUTTER_DEBUG_PAINT_VOLUMES },
-  { "disable-culling", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING }
+  { "disable-culling", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING },
+  { "disable-offscreen-redirect", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_OFFSCREEN_REDIRECT }
 };
 
 #ifdef CLUTTER_ENABLE_PROFILE