diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
index b3de63eee9..15cabc68e2 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,11 @@ OpenGLSWFrameBuffer::OpenGLSWFrameBuffer(void *hMonitor, int width, int height,
 		return;
 	}
 	gl_LoadExtensions();
+	if (gl.legacyMode)
+	{
+		Printf("Legacy OpenGL path is active. No Acceleration will be used.\n");
+		return;
+	}
 	InitializeState();
 	if (first)
 	{
@@ -360,8 +365,11 @@ bool OpenGLSWFrameBuffer::CreatePixelShader(FString vertexsrc, FString fragments
 	auto shader = std::make_unique<HWPixelShader>();
 
 	shader->Program = glCreateProgram();
+	if (shader->Program == 0) { Printf("glCreateProgram failed. Disabling OpenGL hardware acceleration.\n"); return false; }
 	shader->VertexShader = glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER);
+	if (shader->VertexShader == 0) { Printf("glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER) failed. Disabling OpenGL hardware acceleration.\n"); return false; }
 	shader->FragmentShader = glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER);
+	if (shader->FragmentShader == 0) { Printf("glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER) failed. Disabling OpenGL hardware acceleration.\n"); return false; }
 	
 	int maxGlslVersion = 330;
 	int shaderVersion = MIN((int)round(gl.glslversion * 10) * 10, maxGlslVersion);
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
index 12f33da403..106b98d79e 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, gl_debug, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINI
 {
 	Printf("This won't take effect until " GAMENAME " is restarted.\n");
 }
-CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, vid_glswfb, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, vid_glswfb, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
 	Printf("This won't take effect until " GAMENAME " is restarted.\n");
 }