diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f710662ec63..8b14ec86a16 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -411,7 +411,6 @@ option(WITH_GL_EGL              "Use the EGL OpenGL system library instead of th
 option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_COMPAT   "Support using the OpenGL 'compatibility' profile. (deprecated)"                                                    ON )
 option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_CORE     "Support using the OpenGL 3.2+ 'core' profile."                                                                     OFF)
 option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_ES20     "Support using OpenGL ES 2.0. (thru either EGL or the AGL/WGL/XGL 'es20' profile)"                                  OFF)
-option(WITH_GPU_DEBUG           "Create a debug OpenGL context (allows inserting custom messages and getting notifications for bad GL use)"         OFF)
 
 mark_as_advanced(
 	WITH_GLEW_MX
@@ -420,7 +419,6 @@ mark_as_advanced(
 	WITH_GL_PROFILE_COMPAT
 	WITH_GL_PROFILE_CORE
 	WITH_GL_PROFILE_ES20
-	WITH_GPU_DEBUG
 )
 
 if(WITH_GL_PROFILE_COMPAT)
@@ -2351,10 +2349,6 @@ if(WITH_GL_EGL)
 	list(APPEND GL_DEFINITIONS -DWITH_EGL)
 endif()
 
-if(WITH_GPU_DEBUG)
-	list(APPEND GL_DEFINITIONS -DWITH_GPU_DEBUG)
-endif()
-
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Configure OpenMP.
 if(WITH_OPENMP)
@@ -2862,7 +2856,6 @@ if(FIRST_RUN)
 	info_cfg_option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_COMPAT)
 	info_cfg_option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_CORE)
 	info_cfg_option(WITH_GL_PROFILE_ES20)
-	info_cfg_option(WITH_GPU_DEBUG)
 	if(WIN32)
 		info_cfg_option(WITH_GL_ANGLE)
 	endif()
diff --git a/intern/ghost/GHOST_Types.h b/intern/ghost/GHOST_Types.h
index 752a45c7473..7a73af3f249 100644
--- a/intern/ghost/GHOST_Types.h
+++ b/intern/ghost/GHOST_Types.h
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ typedef struct {
 
 typedef enum {
 	GHOST_glStereoVisual = (1 << 0),
-	GHOST_glWarnSupport  = (1 << 1)
+	GHOST_glWarnSupport  = (1 << 1),
+	GHOST_glDebugContext = (1 << 2),
 } GHOST_GLFlags;
 
 
diff --git a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_ContextGLX.h b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_ContextGLX.h
index b33c0b5252a..04fe58a0e82 100644
--- a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_ContextGLX.h
+++ b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_ContextGLX.h
@@ -46,11 +46,8 @@ extern "C" GLXEWContext *glxewContext;
 
 
 #ifndef GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS
-#  ifdef WITH_GPU_DEBUG
-#    define GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS GLX_CONTEXT_DEBUG_BIT_ARB
-#  else
-#    define GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS 0
-#  endif
+/* leave as convenience define for the future */
+#define GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS 0
 #endif
 
 #ifndef GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_RESET_NOTIFICATION_STRATEGY
diff --git a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_SystemX11.cpp b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_SystemX11.cpp
index 45237391eff..325cba0c631 100644
--- a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_SystemX11.cpp
+++ b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_SystemX11.cpp
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ createWindow(const STR_String& title,
 	                             left, top, width, height,
 	                             state, parentWindow, type,
 	                             ((glSettings.flags & GHOST_glStereoVisual) != 0), exclusive,
-	                             glSettings.numOfAASamples);
+	                             glSettings.numOfAASamples, (glSettings.flags & GHOST_glDebugContext) != 0);
 
 	if (window) {
 		/* Both are now handle in GHOST_WindowX11.cpp
diff --git a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.cpp b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.cpp
index bd0d6829e27..9c66900111a 100644
--- a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.cpp
+++ b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.cpp
@@ -272,8 +272,7 @@ static XVisualInfo *x11_visualinfo_from_glx(
 }
 
 GHOST_WindowX11::
-GHOST_WindowX11(
-        GHOST_SystemX11 *system,
+GHOST_WindowX11(GHOST_SystemX11 *system,
         Display *display,
         const STR_String &title,
         GHOST_TInt32 left,
@@ -285,7 +284,7 @@ GHOST_WindowX11(
         GHOST_TDrawingContextType type,
         const bool stereoVisual,
         const bool exclusive,
-        const GHOST_TUns16 numOfAASamples)
+        const GHOST_TUns16 numOfAASamples, const bool is_debug)
     : GHOST_Window(width, height, state, stereoVisual, exclusive, numOfAASamples),
       m_display(display),
       m_visualInfo(NULL),
@@ -301,7 +300,8 @@ GHOST_WindowX11(
 #if defined(WITH_X11_XINPUT) && defined(X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING)
       m_xic(NULL),
 #endif
-      m_valid_setup(false)
+      m_valid_setup(false),
+      m_is_debug_context(is_debug)
 {
 	if (type == GHOST_kDrawingContextTypeOpenGL) {
 		m_visualInfo = x11_visualinfo_from_glx(m_display, stereoVisual, &m_wantNumOfAASamples);
@@ -1284,7 +1284,7 @@ GHOST_Context *GHOST_WindowX11::newDrawingContext(GHOST_TDrawingContextType type
 		        m_visualInfo,
 		        GLX_CONTEXT_OPENGL_CORE_PROFILE_BIT,
 		        3, 2,
-		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS,
+		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS | (m_is_debug_context ? GLX_CONTEXT_DEBUG_BIT_ARB : 0),
 		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_RESET_NOTIFICATION_STRATEGY);
 #elif defined(WITH_GL_PROFILE_ES20)
 		GHOST_Context *context = new GHOST_ContextGLX(
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ GHOST_Context *GHOST_WindowX11::newDrawingContext(GHOST_TDrawingContextType type
 		        m_visualInfo,
 		        GLX_CONTEXT_ES2_PROFILE_BIT_EXT,
 		        2, 0,
-		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS,
+		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS | (m_is_debug_context ? GLX_CONTEXT_DEBUG_BIT_ARB : 0),
 		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_RESET_NOTIFICATION_STRATEGY);
 #elif defined(WITH_GL_PROFILE_COMPAT)
 		GHOST_Context *context = new GHOST_ContextGLX(
@@ -1306,7 +1306,7 @@ GHOST_Context *GHOST_WindowX11::newDrawingContext(GHOST_TDrawingContextType type
 		        m_visualInfo,
 		        0, // profile bit
 		        0, 0,
-		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS,
+		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS | (m_is_debug_context ? GLX_CONTEXT_DEBUG_BIT_ARB : 0),
 		        GHOST_OPENGL_GLX_RESET_NOTIFICATION_STRATEGY);
 #else
 #  error
diff --git a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.h b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.h
index 77287c1befc..5beb7b43032 100644
--- a/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.h
+++ b/intern/ghost/intern/GHOST_WindowX11.h
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ public:
 	    GHOST_TDrawingContextType type = GHOST_kDrawingContextTypeNone,
 	    const bool stereoVisual = false,
 	    const bool exclusive = false,
-	    const GHOST_TUns16 numOfAASamples = 0
+	    const GHOST_TUns16 numOfAASamples = 0,
+	    const bool is_debug = false
 	    );
 
 	bool
@@ -354,6 +355,7 @@ private:
 #endif
 
 	bool m_valid_setup;
+	bool m_is_debug_context;
 
 	void icccmSetState(int state);
 	int icccmGetState() const;
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_global.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_global.h
index 7585dc23342..8a3ffc66e35 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_global.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_global.h
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ enum {
 	G_DEBUG_SIMDATA =   (1 << 9), /* sim debug data display */
 	G_DEBUG_GPU_MEM =   (1 << 10), /* gpu memory in status bar */
 	G_DEBUG_DEPSGRAPH_NO_THREADS = (1 << 11),  /* sinle threaded depsgraph */
+	G_DEBUG_GPU =        (1 << 12), /* gpu debug */
 };
 
 #define G_DEBUG_ALL  (G_DEBUG | G_DEBUG_FFMPEG | G_DEBUG_PYTHON | G_DEBUG_EVENTS | G_DEBUG_WM | G_DEBUG_JOBS | \
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_debug.h b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_debug.h
index f89df2b54aa..2c1728bfff1 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_debug.h
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_debug.h
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ const char *gpuErrorString(GLenum err);
 /* prints current OpenGL state */
 void GPU_state_print(void);
 
-void gpu_assert_no_gl_errors(const char *file, int line, const char *str);
+void GPU_assert_no_gl_errors(const char *file, int line, const char *str);
 
-#  define GPU_ASSERT_NO_GL_ERRORS(str) gpu_assert_no_gl_errors(__FILE__, __LINE__, (str))
+#  define GPU_ASSERT_NO_GL_ERRORS(str) GPU_assert_no_gl_errors(__FILE__, __LINE__, (str))
 
 #  define GPU_CHECK_ERRORS_AROUND(glProcCall)                      \
        (                                             \
@@ -61,14 +61,8 @@ void gpu_assert_no_gl_errors(const char *file, int line, const char *str);
        )
 
 
-#ifdef WITH_GPU_DEBUG
 /* inserts a debug marker message for the debug context messaging system */
-void gpu_string_marker(size_t size, const char *str);
-
-#  define GPU_STRING_MARKER(size, str) gpu_string_marker((size), (str))
-#else /* WITH_GPU_DEBUG */
-#  define GPU_STRING_MARKER(len, str)  ((void)(size),(void)(str))
-#endif /* WITH_GPU_DEBUG */
+void GPU_string_marker(size_t size, const char *str);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_debug.c b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_debug.c
index d06c154be5b..3066467517a 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_debug.c
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_debug.c
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ const char* gpuErrorString(GLenum err)
 }
 
 
-#ifdef WITH_GPU_DEBUG
-
 /* Debug callbacks need the same calling convention as OpenGL functions.
  */
 #if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(_WIN32_WCE) && !defined(__SCITECH_SNAP__)
@@ -191,10 +189,10 @@ void gpu_debug_init(void)
 
 #if !defined(WITH_GLEW_ES) && !defined(GLEW_ES_ONLY)
 	if (GLEW_VERSION_4_3) {
-		//glEnable(GL_DEBUG_OUTPUT);
+		glEnable(GL_DEBUG_OUTPUT);
 		glDebugMessageCallback(gpu_debug_proc, mxGetCurrentContext());
 		glDebugMessageControl(GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, NULL, GL_TRUE);
-		GPU_STRING_MARKER(sizeof(success), success);
+		GPU_string_marker(sizeof(success), success);
 		return;
 	}
 #endif
@@ -203,7 +201,7 @@ void gpu_debug_init(void)
 #ifndef GLEW_ES_ONLY
 			glDebugMessageCallback(gpu_debug_proc, mxGetCurrentContext());
 			glDebugMessageControl(GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, NULL, GL_TRUE);
-			GPU_STRING_MARKER(sizeof(success), success);
+			GPU_string_marker(sizeof(success), success);
 #endif
 		return;
 	}
@@ -212,7 +210,7 @@ void gpu_debug_init(void)
 	if (GLEW_ARB_debug_output) {
 		glDebugMessageCallbackARB(gpu_debug_proc, mxGetCurrentContext());
 		glDebugMessageControlARB(GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, NULL, GL_TRUE);
-		GPU_STRING_MARKER(sizeof(success), success);
+		GPU_string_marker(sizeof(success), success);
 
 		return;
 	}
@@ -220,7 +218,7 @@ void gpu_debug_init(void)
 	if (GLEW_AMD_debug_output) {
 		glDebugMessageCallbackAMD(gpu_debug_proc_amd, mxGetCurrentContext());
 		glDebugMessageEnableAMD(GL_DONT_CARE, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, NULL, GL_TRUE);
-		GPU_STRING_MARKER(sizeof(success), success);
+		GPU_string_marker(sizeof(success), success);
 
 		return;
 	}
@@ -268,7 +266,7 @@ void gpu_debug_exit(void)
 	return;
 }
 
-void gpu_string_marker(size_t length, const char *buf)
+void GPU_string_marker(size_t length, const char *buf)
 {
 #ifndef WITH_GLEW_ES
 #ifndef GLEW_ES_ONLY
@@ -310,8 +308,6 @@ void gpu_string_marker(size_t length, const char *buf)
 	return;
 }
 
-#endif /* WITH_GPU_DEBUG */
-
 void GPU_print_error_debug(const char *str)
 {
 	if (G.debug & G_DEBUG)
@@ -319,7 +315,7 @@ void GPU_print_error_debug(const char *str)
 }
 
 
-void gpu_assert_no_gl_errors(const char* file, int line, const char* str)
+void GPU_assert_no_gl_errors(const char* file, int line, const char* str)
 {
 	if (G.debug) {
 		GLboolean gl_ok = gpu_report_gl_errors(file, line, str);
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_init_exit.c b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_init_exit.c
index a93c1a21130..aefddc774be 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_init_exit.c
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_init_exit.c
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #include "BLI_sys_types.h"
 #include "GPU_init_exit.h"  /* interface */
 
+#include "BKE_global.h"
+
 #include "intern/gpu_codegen.h"
 #include "intern/gpu_private.h"
 
@@ -54,14 +56,17 @@ void GPU_init(void)
 
 	gpu_codegen_init();
 
-	GPU_DEBUG_INIT();
+	if (G.debug & G_DEBUG_GPU)
+		gpu_debug_init();
+
 }
 
 
 
 void GPU_exit(void)
 {
-	GPU_DEBUG_EXIT();
+	if (G.debug & G_DEBUG_GPU)
+		gpu_debug_exit();
 	gpu_codegen_exit();
 
 	gpu_extensions_exit(); /* must come last */
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_private.h b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_private.h
index 188a2d16abc..72627e3563e 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_private.h
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_private.h
@@ -29,21 +29,8 @@
 void gpu_extensions_init(void);
 void gpu_extensions_exit(void);
 
-
 /* gpu_debug.c */
-#ifdef WITH_GPU_DEBUG
-
 void gpu_debug_init(void);
 void gpu_debug_exit(void);
 
-#  define GPU_DEBUG_INIT() gpu_debug_init()
-#  define GPU_DEBUG_EXIT() gpu_debug_exit()
-
-#else
-
-#  define GPU_DEBUG_INIT() ((void)0)
-#  define GPU_DEBUG_EXIT() ((void)0)
-
-#endif
-
 #endif  /* __GPU_PRIVATE_H__ */
diff --git a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_window.c b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_window.c
index d11d88db147..5f4869d3386 100644
--- a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_window.c
+++ b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_window.c
@@ -400,6 +400,10 @@ static void wm_window_add_ghostwindow(wmWindowManager *wm, const char *title, wm
 	if (win->stereo3d_format->display_mode == S3D_DISPLAY_PAGEFLIP)
 		glSettings.flags |= GHOST_glStereoVisual;
 
+	if (G.debug & G_DEBUG_GPU) {
+		glSettings.flags |= GHOST_glDebugContext;
+	}
+
 	if (!(U.uiflag2 & USER_OPENGL_NO_WARN_SUPPORT))
 		glSettings.flags |= GHOST_glWarnSupport;
 
diff --git a/source/creator/creator.c b/source/creator/creator.c
index b78914aa989..33a62c8ce6f 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator.c
+++ b/source/creator/creator.c
@@ -1549,6 +1549,7 @@ static void setupArguments(bContext *C, bArgs *ba, SYS_SystemHandle *syshandle)
 
 	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-value", "<value>\n\tSet debug value of <value> on startup\n", set_debug_value, NULL);
 	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-jobs",  "\n\tEnable time profiling for background jobs.", debug_mode_generic, (void *)G_DEBUG_JOBS);
+	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-gpu",  "\n\tEnable gpu debug context and information for OpenGL 4.3+.", debug_mode_generic, (void *)G_DEBUG_GPU);
 	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-depsgraph", "\n\tEnable debug messages from dependency graph", debug_mode_generic, (void *)G_DEBUG_DEPSGRAPH);
 	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-depsgraph-no-threads", "\n\tSwitch dependency graph to a single threaded evlauation", debug_mode_generic, (void *)G_DEBUG_DEPSGRAPH_NO_THREADS);
 	BLI_argsAdd(ba, 1, NULL, "--debug-gpumem", "\n\tEnable GPU memory stats in status bar", debug_mode_generic, (void *)G_DEBUG_GPU_MEM);