diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
index fd09c88f82..00b39639fa 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, vid_autoswitch, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_
 
 static int s_currentRenderer;
 
-CUSTOM_CVAR(Int, vid_renderer, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+CUSTOM_CVAR(Int, vid_renderer, 1, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
 	// 0: Software renderer
 	// 1: OpenGL renderer
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
index 88870cb52d..e512adb736 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void I_RestartRenderer();
 int currentrenderer;
 
 // [ZDoomGL]
-CUSTOM_CVAR (Int, vid_renderer, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+CUSTOM_CVAR (Int, vid_renderer, 1, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
 	// 0: Software renderer
 	// 1: OpenGL renderer
diff --git a/src/win32/hardware.cpp b/src/win32/hardware.cpp
index 70e622b391..b083f4fe96 100644
--- a/src/win32/hardware.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/hardware.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, vid_used3d, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOIN
 }
 
 // [ZDoomGL]
-CUSTOM_CVAR (Int, vid_renderer, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+CUSTOM_CVAR (Int, vid_renderer, 1, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
 	// 0: Software renderer
 	// 1: OpenGL renderer