diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_debug.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_debug.cpp
index 52fbadf33..023073951 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_debug.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_debug.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,14 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #endif
 
-CVAR(Int, gl_debug_level, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG);
+CUSTOM_CVAR(Int, gl_debug_level, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+{
+	if (!FGLDebug::HasDebugApi())
+	{
+		Printf("No OpenGL debug support detected.\n");
+	}
+}
+
 CVAR(Bool, gl_debug_breakpoint, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG);
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -60,6 +67,9 @@ CVAR(Bool, gl_debug_breakpoint, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG);
 
 void FGLDebug::Update()
 {
+	if (!HasDebugApi())
+		return;
+
 	SetupBreakpointMode();
 	UpdateLoggingLevel();
 	OutputMessageLog();
@@ -74,7 +84,7 @@ void FGLDebug::Update()
 
 void FGLDebug::LabelObject(GLenum type, GLuint handle, const FString &name)
 {
-	if (gl_debug_level != 0)
+	if (HasDebugApi() && gl_debug_level != 0)
 	{
 		glObjectLabel(type, handle, (GLsizei)name.Len(), name.GetChars());
 	}
@@ -82,7 +92,7 @@ void FGLDebug::LabelObject(GLenum type, GLuint handle, const FString &name)
 
 void FGLDebug::LabelObjectPtr(void *ptr, const FString &name)
 {
-	if (gl_debug_level != 0)
+	if (HasDebugApi() && gl_debug_level != 0)
 	{
 		glObjectPtrLabel(ptr, (GLsizei)name.Len(), name.GetChars());
 	}
@@ -97,7 +107,7 @@ void FGLDebug::LabelObjectPtr(void *ptr, const FString &name)
 
 void FGLDebug::PushGroup(const FString &name)
 {
-	if (gl_debug_level != 0)
+	if (HasDebugApi() && gl_debug_level != 0)
 	{
 		glPushDebugGroup(GL_DEBUG_SOURCE_APPLICATION, 0, (GLsizei)name.Len(), name.GetChars());
 	}
@@ -105,7 +115,7 @@ void FGLDebug::PushGroup(const FString &name)
 
 void FGLDebug::PopGroup()
 {
-	if (gl_debug_level != 0)
+	if (HasDebugApi() && gl_debug_level != 0)
 	{
 		glPopDebugGroup();
 	}
diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_debug.h b/src/gl/system/gl_debug.h
index 1688297be..52645ec16 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_debug.h
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_debug.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ public:
 	static void PushGroup(const FString &name);
 	static void PopGroup();
 
+	static bool HasDebugApi() { return (gl.flags & RFL_DEBUG) != 0; }
+
 private:
 	void SetupBreakpointMode();
 	void UpdateLoggingLevel();
diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
index 4d83ebec0..30839e8f4 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ void gl_LoadExtensions()
 	}
 
 	if (gl.version >= 4.3f || CheckExtension("GL_ARB_invalidate_subdata")) gl.flags |= RFL_INVALIDATE_BUFFER;
+	if (gl.version >= 4.3f || CheckExtension("GL_KHR_debug")) gl.flags |= RFL_DEBUG;
 
 	const char *lm = Args->CheckValue("-lightmethod");
 	if (lm != NULL)
diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.h b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.h
index 11b0573e5..8300b9973 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.h
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.h
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ enum RenderFlags
 	RFL_NO_DEPTHSTENCIL = 64,
 	RFL_NO_CLIP_PLANES = 128,
 
-	RFL_INVALIDATE_BUFFER = 256
+	RFL_INVALIDATE_BUFFER = 256,
+	RFL_DEBUG = 512
 };
 
 enum TexMode