diff --git a/cogl/cogl-context.c b/cogl/cogl-context.c
index cdbd99ec6..956ea0aa0 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-context.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-context.c
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ cogl_create_context (void)
   _context->n_texcoord_arrays_enabled = 0;
 
   _context->framebuffer_stack = _cogl_create_framebuffer_stack ();
+
   window_buffer = _cogl_onscreen_new ();
   cogl_set_framebuffer (window_buffer);
   /* XXX: the deprecated _cogl_set_draw_buffer API expects to
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
index 71edfa046..09a9cd824 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ typedef struct
   int                 viewport_height;
 
   CoglClipState       clip_state;
+
+  gboolean            dirty_bitmasks;
+  int                 red_bits;
+  int                 blue_bits;
+  int                 green_bits;
+  int                 alpha_bits;
 } CoglFramebuffer;
 
 #define COGL_FRAMEBUFFER(X) ((CoglFramebuffer *)(X))
@@ -71,12 +77,16 @@ typedef struct _CoglOnscreen
 
 void
 _cogl_framebuffer_state_init (void);
+
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_width (CoglHandle handle);
+
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_height (CoglHandle handle);
+
 CoglClipState *
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_clip_state (CoglHandle handle);
+
 void
 _cogl_framebuffer_set_viewport (CoglHandle handle,
                                 int x,
@@ -85,16 +95,22 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_set_viewport (CoglHandle handle,
                                 int height);
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_viewport_x (CoglHandle handle);
+
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_viewport_y (CoglHandle handle);
+
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_viewport_width (CoglHandle handle);
+
 int
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_viewport_height (CoglHandle handle);
+
 void
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_viewport4fv (CoglHandle handle, int *viewport);
+
 CoglMatrixStack *
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_modelview_stack (CoglHandle handle);
+
 CoglMatrixStack *
 _cogl_framebuffer_get_projection_stack (CoglHandle handle);
 
@@ -116,8 +132,10 @@ _cogl_onscreen_new (void);
 
 CoglHandle
 _cogl_get_framebuffer (void);
+
 GSList *
 _cogl_create_framebuffer_stack (void);
+
 void
 _cogl_free_framebuffer_stack (GSList *stack);
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
index 3f01ca58e..21fffd612 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_init (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer,
   framebuffer->modelview_stack  = _cogl_matrix_stack_new ();
   framebuffer->projection_stack = _cogl_matrix_stack_new ();
 
+  framebuffer->dirty_bitmasks   = TRUE;
+
   /* Initialise the clip stack */
   _cogl_clip_state_init (&framebuffer->clip_state);
 }
@@ -248,6 +250,20 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_get_projection_stack (CoglHandle handle)
   return framebuffer->projection_stack;
 }
 
+static inline void
+_cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer)
+{
+  if (G_LIKELY (!framebuffer->dirty_bitmasks))
+    return;
+
+  GE( glGetIntegerv (GL_RED_BITS,   &framebuffer->red_bits)   );
+  GE( glGetIntegerv (GL_GREEN_BITS, &framebuffer->green_bits) );
+  GE( glGetIntegerv (GL_BLUE_BITS,  &framebuffer->blue_bits)  );
+  GE( glGetIntegerv (GL_ALPHA_BITS, &framebuffer->alpha_bits) );
+
+  framebuffer->dirty_bitmasks = FALSE;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 try_creating_fbo (CoglOffscreen *offscreen,
                   TryFBOFlags flags,
@@ -555,6 +571,8 @@ _cogl_set_framebuffer_real (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer)
   _cogl_matrix_stack_dirty (framebuffer->modelview_stack);
   _cogl_matrix_stack_dirty (framebuffer->projection_stack);
   _cogl_clip_state_dirty (&framebuffer->clip_state);
+
+  _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (framebuffer);
 }
 
 void
@@ -710,3 +728,42 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_flush_state (CoglHandle handle,
                                   COGL_MATRIX_PROJECTION);
 }
 
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_red_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer)
+{
+  CoglFramebuffer *fb = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (framebuffer);
+
+  _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (fb);
+
+  return fb->red_bits;
+}
+
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_green_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer)
+{
+  CoglFramebuffer *fb = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (framebuffer);
+
+  _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (fb);
+
+  return fb->green_bits;
+}
+
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_blue_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer)
+{
+  CoglFramebuffer *fb = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (framebuffer);
+
+  _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (fb);
+
+  return fb->blue_bits;
+}
+
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer)
+{
+  CoglFramebuffer *fb = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (framebuffer);
+
+  _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (fb);
+
+  return fb->alpha_bits;
+}
diff --git a/cogl/cogl.c b/cogl/cogl.c
index 0355af20d..2386b3ea5 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl.c
@@ -533,31 +533,21 @@ cogl_get_bitmasks (int *red,
                    int *blue,
                    int *alpha)
 {
-  GLint value;
+  CoglHandle framebuffer;
+
+  framebuffer = _cogl_get_framebuffer ();
 
   if (red)
-    {
-      GE( glGetIntegerv(GL_RED_BITS, &value) );
-      *red = value;
-    }
+    *red = cogl_framebuffer_get_red_bits (framebuffer);
 
   if (green)
-    {
-      GE( glGetIntegerv(GL_GREEN_BITS, &value) );
-      *green = value;
-    }
+    *green = cogl_framebuffer_get_green_bits (framebuffer);
 
   if (blue)
-    {
-      GE( glGetIntegerv(GL_BLUE_BITS, &value) );
-      *blue = value;
-    }
+    *blue = cogl_framebuffer_get_blue_bits (framebuffer);
 
   if (alpha)
-    {
-      GE( glGetIntegerv(GL_ALPHA_BITS, &value ) );
-      *alpha = value;
-    }
+    *alpha = cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits (framebuffer);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/cogl/cogl.h b/cogl/cogl.h
index 234f64cee..4b61d35da 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl.h
@@ -161,6 +161,58 @@ cogl_get_bitmasks (int *red,
                    int *blue,
                    int *alpha);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_get_red_bits:
+ * @framebuffer: a handle for a framebuffer
+ *
+ * Retrieves the number of red bits of @framebuffer
+ *
+ * Return value: the number of bits
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_red_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_get_green_bits:
+ * @framebuffer: a handle for a framebuffer
+ *
+ * Retrieves the number of green bits of @framebuffer
+ *
+ * Return value: the number of bits
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_green_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_get_blue_bits:
+ * @framebuffer: a handle for a framebuffer
+ *
+ * Retrieves the number of blue bits of @framebuffer
+ *
+ * Return value: the number of bits
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_blue_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits:
+ * @framebuffer: a handle for a framebuffer
+ *
+ * Retrieves the number of alpha bits of @framebuffer
+ *
+ * Return value: the number of bits
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+int
+cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits (CoglHandle framebuffer);
+
 /**
  * cogl_perspective:
  * @fovy: Vertical of view angle in degrees.