diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
index b2b4ea9ae..1ac8b33fe 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ RenderContext gl;
 
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, gl_legacy_mode)
 extern int currentrenderer;
+CVAR(Bool, gl_riskymodernpath, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 
 //==========================================================================
 //
@@ -209,7 +210,10 @@ void gl_LoadExtensions()
 		// The minimum requirement for the modern render path is GL 3.3.
 		// Although some GL 3.1 or 3.2 solutions may theoretically work they are usually too broken or too slow.
 		// unless, of course, we're simply using this as a software backend...
-		if ((gl_version < 3.3f && (currentrenderer==1)) || gl_version < 3.0f)
+		float minmodernpath = 3.3f;
+		if (gl_riskymodernpath)
+			minmodernpath = 3.1f;
+		if ((gl_version < minmodernpath && (currentrenderer==1)) || gl_version < 3.0f)
 		{
 			gl.legacyMode = true;
 			gl.lightmethod = LM_LEGACY;