diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index 199dd175e..d815757a0 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -774,3 +774,11 @@ cogl_renderer_create_dma_buf (CoglRenderer  *renderer,
 
   return NULL;
 }
+
+void
+cogl_renderer_bind_api (CoglRenderer *renderer)
+{
+  const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys = _cogl_renderer_get_winsys (renderer);
+
+  winsys->renderer_bind_api (renderer);
+}
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
index b8eb6e545..70910c07b 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
@@ -419,6 +419,12 @@ cogl_renderer_create_dma_buf (CoglRenderer  *renderer,
                               int            height,
                               GError       **error);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_renderer_bind_api: (skip)
+ */
+COGL_EXPORT void
+cogl_renderer_bind_api (CoglRenderer *renderer);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __COGL_RENDERER_H__ */
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
index 85409433d..8ea1008b5 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl.c
@@ -134,6 +134,16 @@ _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect (CoglRenderer *renderer)
   g_assert_not_reached ();
 }
 
+static void
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_bind_api (CoglRenderer *renderer)
+{
+  if (renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GL ||
+      renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GL3)
+    eglBindAPI (EGL_OPENGL_API);
+  else if (renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GLES2)
+    eglBindAPI (EGL_OPENGL_ES_API);
+}
+
 /* Updates all the function pointers */
 static void
 check_egl_extensions (CoglRenderer *renderer)
@@ -364,11 +374,7 @@ try_create_context (CoglDisplay *display,
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (egl_display->egl_context == NULL, TRUE);
 
-  if (renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GL ||
-      renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GL3)
-    eglBindAPI (EGL_OPENGL_API);
-  else if (renderer->driver == COGL_DRIVER_GLES2)
-    eglBindAPI (EGL_OPENGL_ES_API);
+  cogl_renderer_bind_api (renderer);
 
   cogl_display_egl_determine_attributes (display,
                                          &display->onscreen_template->config,
@@ -620,6 +626,7 @@ static CoglWinsysVtable _cogl_winsys_vtable =
     .renderer_get_proc_address = _cogl_winsys_renderer_get_proc_address,
     .renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect,
     .renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect,
+    .renderer_bind_api = _cogl_winsys_renderer_bind_api,
     .display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup,
     .display_destroy = _cogl_winsys_display_destroy,
     .context_init = _cogl_winsys_context_init,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index a8453dd48..f3738e07c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -297,6 +297,11 @@ _cogl_winsys_renderer_outputs_changed (CoglRenderer *renderer)
   update_all_outputs (renderer);
 }
 
+static void
+_cogl_winsys_renderer_bind_api (CoglRenderer *renderer)
+{
+}
+
 static gboolean
 resolve_core_glx_functions (CoglRenderer *renderer,
                             GError **error)
@@ -1419,6 +1424,7 @@ static CoglWinsysVtable _cogl_winsys_vtable =
     .renderer_connect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect,
     .renderer_disconnect = _cogl_winsys_renderer_disconnect,
     .renderer_outputs_changed = _cogl_winsys_renderer_outputs_changed,
+    .renderer_bind_api = _cogl_winsys_renderer_bind_api,
     .display_setup = _cogl_winsys_display_setup,
     .display_destroy = _cogl_winsys_display_destroy,
     .context_init = _cogl_winsys_context_init,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
index 29bea6aa4..b323a704d 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-private.h
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ typedef struct _CoglWinsysVtable
                               int            height,
                               GError       **error);
 
+  void
+  (*renderer_bind_api) (CoglRenderer *renderer);
+
   gboolean
   (*context_init) (CoglContext *context, GError **error);