diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_extensions.h b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_extensions.h
index 3813fe3da8e..66b19449419 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_extensions.h
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_extensions.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ typedef struct GPUFrameBuffer GPUFrameBuffer;
 struct GPUShader;
 typedef struct GPUShader GPUShader;
 
+void GPU_extensions_disable(void);
 void GPU_extensions_init(void); /* call this before running any of the functions below */
 void GPU_extensions_exit(void);
 int GPU_extensions_minimum_support(void);
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_extensions.c b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_extensions.c
index a8dc369460c..7654c67419b 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_extensions.c
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_extensions.c
@@ -66,11 +66,17 @@
 	- arb draw buffers? 2.0 core
 */
 
-struct GPUGlobal {
+static struct GPUGlobal {
 	GLint maxtextures;
 	GLuint currentfb;
 	int minimumsupport;
-} GG = {1, 0, 0};
+	int extdisabled;
+} GG = {1, 0, 0, 0};
+
+void GPU_extensions_disable()
+{
+	GG.extdisabled = 1;
+}
 
 void GPU_extensions_init()
 {
@@ -89,7 +95,7 @@ void GPU_extensions_init()
 
 int GPU_extensions_minimum_support()
 {
-	return GG.minimumsupport;
+	return !GG.extdisabled && GG.minimumsupport;
 }
 
 int GPU_print_error(char *str)
diff --git a/source/creator/creator.c b/source/creator/creator.c
index ab86c46dbdd..38c37575bd1 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator.c
+++ b/source/creator/creator.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 #include "RE_pipeline.h"
 
 #include "GPU_draw.h"
+#include "GPU_extensions.h"
 
 #include "playanim_ext.h"
 #include "mydevice.h"
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ static void print_help(void)
 	printf ("  -d\t\tTurn debugging on\n");
 	printf ("  -noaudio\tDisable audio on systems that support audio\n");
 	printf ("  -nojoystick\tDisable joystick support\n");
+	printf ("  -noglsl\tDisable GLSL shading\n");
 	printf ("  -h\t\tPrint this help text\n");
 	printf ("  -y\t\tDisable automatic python script execution (scriptlinks, pydrivers, pyconstraints, pynodes)\n");
 	printf ("  -P <filename>\tRun the given Python script (filename or Blender Text)\n");
@@ -506,6 +508,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 						SYS_WriteCommandLineInt(syshandle,"nojoystick",1);
 						if (G.f & G_DEBUG) printf("disabling nojoystick\n");
 					}
+					if (BLI_strcasecmp(argv[a], "-noglsl") == 0)
+						GPU_extensions_disable();
 					break;
 				}
 			}