diff --git a/config.d/build_control.m4 b/config.d/build_control.m4
index 09e4a10c0..a5fc7bc51 100644
--- a/config.d/build_control.m4
+++ b/config.d/build_control.m4
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ if test "x$HAVE_FBDEV" = xyes; then
 		CL_TARGETS="$CL_TARGETS FBDEV"
 		VID_TARGETS="$VID_TARGETS libs/video/targets/libQFfbdev.la"
 		QF_NEED(vid_render, [sw])
+		QF_NEED(render, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(models, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(alias, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(brush, [sw])
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ if test "x$HAVE_X" = xyes; then
 		VID_TARGETS="$VID_TARGETS libs/video/targets/libQFx11.la"
 		if test "$HAVE_VULKAN" = "yes"; then
 			QF_NEED(vid_render, [vulkan])
+			QF_NEED(render, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(models, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(alias, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(brush, [vulkan])
@@ -80,6 +82,7 @@ if test "x$HAVE_X" = xyes; then
 			QF_NEED(sprite, [vulkan])
 		fi
 		QF_NEED(vid_render, [sw sw32 gl glsl])
+		QF_NEED(render, [sw sw32 gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(models, [sw gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(alias, [sw gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(brush, [sw gl glsl])
@@ -105,12 +108,14 @@ if test "x$HAVE_SDL" = xyes; then
 		VID_TARGETS="$VID_TARGETS libs/video/targets/libQFsdl.la"
 		if test "$HAVE_VULKAN" = "yes"; then
 			QF_NEED(vid_render, [vulkan])
+			QF_NEED(render, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(alias, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(brush, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(iqm, [vulkan])
 			QF_NEED(sprite, [vulkan])
 		fi
 		QF_NEED(vid_render, [sw sw32 gl glsl])
+		QF_NEED(render, [sw sw32 gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(models, [sw gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(alias, [sw gl glsl])
 		QF_NEED(brush, [sw gl glsl])
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ if test "x$HAVE_SVGA" = xyes; then
 		CL_TARGETS="$CL_TARGETS SVGAlib"
 		VID_TARGETS="$VID_TARGETS libs/video/targets/libQFsvga.la"
 		QF_NEED(vid_render, [sw])
+		QF_NEED(render, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(models, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(alias, [sw])
 		QF_NEED(brush, [sw])
@@ -155,6 +161,7 @@ fi
 #		CL_TARGETS="$CL_TARGETS WGL"
 #		VID_TARGETS="$VID_TARGETS libs/video/targets/libQFwgl.la"
 #		QF_NEED(vid_render, [gl])
+#		QF_NEED(render, [gl])
 #		QF_NEED(models, [gl])
 #		QF_NEED(alias, [gl])
 #		QF_NEED(brush, [gl])
@@ -290,6 +297,7 @@ fi
 QF_SUBST(progs_gz)
 
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(swrend, [asm])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(render, [gl glsl sw sw32 vulkan], [libs/video/renderer])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(models, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(alias, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models/alias])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(brush, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models/brush])
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am b/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
index 8789de037..9eb2c2354 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/Makemodule.am
@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@ include libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/Makemodule.am
 
 #lib_LTLIBRARIES += @VID_REND_TARGETS@
 plugin_LTLIBRARIES += @vid_render_plugins@
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libs/video/renderer/libQFrenderer.la @vid_render_static_plugins@
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES += \
+	libs/video/renderer/libQFrenderer.la \
+	@render_libs@ \
+	@vid_render_static_plugins@
 
+#plugins
 EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += \
 	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.la \
 	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.la \
@@ -12,6 +16,14 @@ EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += \
 	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.la \
 	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.la
 
+#helper libraries
+EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_sw.la \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_sw32.la \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_gl.la \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_glsl.la \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_vulkan.la
+
 video_renderer_common_sources = \
 	libs/video/renderer/crosshair.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/font8x8.c \
@@ -43,13 +55,16 @@ libs_video_renderer_libQFrenderer_la_SOURCES=\
 	libs/video/renderer/r_progs.c
 
 video_renderer_gl_libs= \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_gl.la \
 	libs/models/libmodels_gl.la
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_gl_la_LDFLAGS=		$(plugin_ldflags)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_gl_la_LIBADD=		$(video_renderer_gl_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_gl_la_DEPENDENCIES=	$(video_renderer_gl_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_gl_la_SOURCES=\
 	$(video_renderer_common_sources) \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
+
+libs_video_renderer_librender_gl_la_SOURCES = \
 	libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_draw.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_dyn_lights.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_dyn_part.c \
@@ -91,13 +106,16 @@ SUFFICES=.frag .vert .spv .spvc .fc .vc .slc .glsl .plist .plc
 	$(am__mv) $@.t $@
 
 video_renderer_glsl_libs= \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_glsl.la \
 	libs/models/libmodels_glsl.la
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_glsl_la_LDFLAGS=		$(plugin_ldflags)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_glsl_la_LIBADD=		$(video_renderer_glsl_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_glsl_la_DEPENDENCIES=$(video_renderer_glsl_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_glsl_la_SOURCES=\
 	$(video_renderer_common_sources) \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
+
+libs_video_renderer_librender_glsl_la_SOURCES = \
 	libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_alias.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_bsp.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_draw.c \
@@ -116,13 +134,16 @@ libs_video_renderer_vid_render_glsl_la_SOURCES=\
 	libs/video/renderer/glsl/vid_common_glsl.c
 
 video_renderer_sw_libs= \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_sw.la \
 	libs/models/libmodels_sw.la
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw_la_LDFLAGS=		$(plugin_ldflags)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw_la_LIBADD=		$(video_renderer_sw_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw_la_DEPENDENCIES=	$(video_renderer_sw_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw_la_SOURCES=\
 	$(video_renderer_common_sources) \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
+
+libs_video_renderer_librender_sw_la_SOURCES = \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw/d_copy.S \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw/d_draw.S \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw/d_edge.c \
@@ -170,13 +191,16 @@ libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw_la_SOURCES=\
 	libs/video/renderer/sw/vid_common_sw.c
 
 video_renderer_sw32_libs= \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_sw32.la \
 	libs/models/libmodels_sw.la
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw32_la_LDFLAGS=		$(plugin_ldflags)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw32_la_LIBADD=		$(video_renderer_sw32_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw32_la_DEPENDENCIES=$(video_renderer_sw32_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_sw32_la_SOURCES=\
 	$(video_renderer_common_sources) \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
+
+libs_video_renderer_librender_sw32_la_SOURCES = \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw32/d_edge.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw32/d_fill.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/sw32/d_init.c \
@@ -213,13 +237,16 @@ renderpass_src = libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plist
 renderpass_gen = libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plc
 
 video_renderer_vulkan_libs = \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_vulkan.la \
 	libs/models/libmodels_vulkan.la
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_vulkan_la_LDFLAGS=       $(plugin_ldflags)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_vulkan_la_LIBADD=        $(video_renderer_vulkan_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_vulkan_la_DEPENDENCIES=$(video_renderer_vulkan_libs)
 libs_video_renderer_vid_render_vulkan_la_SOURCES = \
 	$(video_renderer_common_sources) \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c \
+	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c
+
+libs_video_renderer_librender_vulkan_la_SOURCES = \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/barrier.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/buffer.c \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/command.c \
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/test/Makemodule.am b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/test/Makemodule.am
index cacb206f3..84c5ff136 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/test/Makemodule.am
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/test/Makemodule.am
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ TESTS += $(libs_video_renderer_vulkan_tests)
 check_PROGRAMS += $(libs_video_renderer_vulkan_tests)
 
 libs_video_renderer_vulkan_test_libs= \
-	libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.la \
+	libs/video/renderer/librender_vulkan.la \
 	libs/util/libQFutil.la
 
 libs_video_renderer_vulkan_test_test_staging_SOURCES= 		\
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/Makemodule.am b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/Makemodule.am
index b60e97f1d..ecb5853ee 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/Makemodule.am
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/Makemodule.am
@@ -47,5 +47,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST += \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/vkgen.h \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/vkstruct.h \
 	libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vkgen/vktype.h \
+	$e
+
 CLEANFILES += \
 	libs/video/renderer/vkgen/*.sym