diff --git a/cogl/cogl-debug.c b/cogl/cogl-debug.c
index 2a697591c..811f56cd3 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-debug.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-debug.c
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ static const GDebugKey cogl_behavioural_debug_keys[] = {
   { "rectangles", COGL_DEBUG_RECTANGLES },
   { "disable-batching", COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_BATCHING },
   { "disable-vbos", COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_VBOS },
+  { "disable-pbos", COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_PBOS },
   { "disable-software-transform", COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_SOFTWARE_TRANSFORM },
   { "dump-atlas-image", COGL_DEBUG_DUMP_ATLAS_IMAGE },
   { "disable-atlas", COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_ATLAS },
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ _cogl_parse_debug_string (const char *value,
       OPT ("rectangles:", "add wire outlines for all rectangular geometry");
       OPT ("disable-batching:", "disable the journal batching");
       OPT ("disable-vbos:", "disable use of OpenGL vertex buffer objects");
+      OPT ("disable-pbos:", "disable use of OpenGL pixel buffer objects");
       OPT ("disable-software-transform",
            "use the GPU to transform rectangular geometry");
       OPT ("dump-atlas-image:", "dump atlas changes to an image file");
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-debug.h b/cogl/cogl-debug.h
index d7cad2bdf..56ca8d4ba 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-debug.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-debug.h
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ typedef enum {
   COGL_DEBUG_BLEND_STRINGS    = 1 << 7,
   COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_BATCHING = 1 << 8,
   COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_VBOS     = 1 << 9,
-  COGL_DEBUG_JOURNAL          = 1 << 10,
-  COGL_DEBUG_BATCHING         = 1 << 11,
-  COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_SOFTWARE_TRANSFORM = 1 << 12,
-  COGL_DEBUG_MATRICES         = 1 << 13,
+  COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_PBOS     = 1 << 10,
+  COGL_DEBUG_JOURNAL          = 1 << 11,
+  COGL_DEBUG_BATCHING         = 1 << 12,
+  COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_SOFTWARE_TRANSFORM = 1 << 13,
+  COGL_DEBUG_MATRICES         = 1 << 14,
   COGL_DEBUG_ATLAS            = 1 << 15,
   COGL_DEBUG_DUMP_ATLAS_IMAGE = 1 << 16,
   COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_ATLAS    = 1 << 17,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl.c b/cogl/cogl.c
index 46e17ac76..73f1c403a 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl.c
@@ -492,6 +492,9 @@ cogl_get_features (void)
   if (G_UNLIKELY (cogl_debug_flags & COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_VBOS))
     ctx->feature_flags &= ~COGL_FEATURE_VBOS;
 
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (cogl_debug_flags & COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_PBOS))
+    ctx->feature_flags &= ~COGL_FEATURE_PBOS;
+
   if (G_UNLIKELY (cogl_debug_flags & COGL_DEBUG_DISABLE_GLSL))
     ctx->feature_flags &= ~COGL_FEATURE_SHADERS_GLSL;