diff --git a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index 8136fe1e8..61cda6ff6 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -505,8 +505,22 @@ _cogl_renderer_choose_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
       if (driver_override == COGL_DRIVER_ANY)
         invalid_override = driver_name;
     }
-  else
-    driver_override = renderer->driver_override;
+
+  if (renderer->driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ANY)
+    {
+      if (driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ANY &&
+          renderer->driver_override != driver_override)
+        {
+          _cogl_set_error (error,
+                           COGL_RENDERER_ERROR,
+                           COGL_RENDERER_ERROR_BAD_CONSTRAINT,
+                           "Application driver selection conflicts with driver "
+                           "specified in configuration");
+          return FALSE;
+        }
+
+      driver_override = renderer->driver_override;
+    }
 
   if (driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ANY)
     {