diff --git a/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp b/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
index b66b5ecc3..903a370c7 100644
--- a/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ PFNWGLSWAPINTERVALEXTPROC myWglSwapIntervalExtProc;
 
 
 
+CVAR(Bool, vid_activeinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 
 CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, gl_debug, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
@@ -1119,7 +1120,7 @@ void SystemFrameBuffer::InitializeState()
 
 bool SystemFrameBuffer::CanUpdate()
 {
-	if (!AppActive && IsFullscreen()) return false;
+	if (!AppActive && (IsFullscreen() || !vid_activeinbackground)) return false;
 	return true;
 }