diff --git a/src/backends/sdl/refresh.c b/src/backends/sdl/refresh.c
index 8310684e..a9b7e081 100644
--- a/src/backends/sdl/refresh.c
+++ b/src/backends/sdl/refresh.c
@@ -241,16 +241,16 @@ GLimp_InitGraphics(qboolean fullscreen)
 		{
 			if (counter == 1)
 			{
-				ri.Sys_Error(ERR_FATAL, "Failed to revert to gl_mode 5. Exiting...\n");
+				ri.Sys_Error(ERR_FATAL, "Failed to revert to gl_mode 4. Exiting...\n");
 				return false;
 			}
 
 			ri.Con_Printf(PRINT_ALL, "SDL SetVideoMode failed: %s\n",
 					SDL_GetError());
-			ri.Con_Printf(PRINT_ALL, "Reverting to gl_mode 5 (640x480) and windowed mode.\n");
+			ri.Con_Printf(PRINT_ALL, "Reverting to gl_mode 4 (640x480) and windowed mode.\n");
 
 			/* Try to recover */
-			ri.Cvar_SetValue("gl_mode", 5);
+			ri.Cvar_SetValue("gl_mode", 4);
 			ri.Cvar_SetValue("vid_fullscreen", 0);
 			vid.width = 640;
 			vid.height = 480;
diff --git a/src/client/menu/videomenu.c b/src/client/menu/videomenu.c
index 020487e7..2174e985 100644
--- a/src/client/menu/videomenu.c
+++ b/src/client/menu/videomenu.c
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ VID_MenuInit(void)
 
 	if (!gl_mode)
 	{
-		gl_mode = Cvar_Get("gl_mode", "5", 0);
+		gl_mode = Cvar_Get("gl_mode", "4", 0);
 	}
 
 	if (!gl_ext_palettedtexture)
diff --git a/src/refresh/r_main.c b/src/refresh/r_main.c
index 1608fb9e..60f61771 100644
--- a/src/refresh/r_main.c
+++ b/src/refresh/r_main.c
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ R_Register(void)
 	gl_modulate = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_modulate", "1", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	gl_log = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_log", "0", 0);
 	gl_bitdepth = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_bitdepth", "0", 0);
-	gl_mode = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_mode", "5", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
+	gl_mode = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_mode", "4", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	gl_lightmap = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_lightmap", "0", 0);
 	gl_shadows = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_shadows", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	gl_stencilshadow = ri.Cvar_Get("gl_stencilshadow", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);