diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.h b/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.h
index 1eca5f4317..0e6be8dd69 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.h
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.h
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ struct _GdkWin32Display
   guint hasWglEXTSwapControl : 1;
   guint hasWglOMLSyncControl : 1;
   guint hasWglARBPixelFormat : 1;
+  guint force_enable_depth_bits : 1;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_EGL
   guint hasEglKHRCreateContext : 1;
diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkglcontext-win32-wgl.c b/gdk/win32/gdkglcontext-win32-wgl.c
index 34fcca5677..e12604f3f5 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkglcontext-win32-wgl.c
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkglcontext-win32-wgl.c
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ get_wgl_pfd (HDC                    hdc,
 
   pfd->nSize = sizeof (PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR);
 
-  if (display_win32 != NULL &&
-      display_win32->hasWglARBPixelFormat)
+  if (display_win32->hasWglARBPixelFormat)
     {
       UINT num_formats;
       int colorbits = GetDeviceCaps (hdc, BITSPIXEL);
@@ -176,15 +175,18 @@ get_wgl_pfd (HDC                    hdc,
       pixelAttribs[i++] = WGL_ALPHA_BITS_ARB;
       pixelAttribs[i++] = 8;
 
-      pixelAttribs[i++] = WGL_DEPTH_BITS_ARB;
-      pixelAttribs[i++] = 0;
-
       pixelAttribs[i++] = WGL_STENCIL_BITS_ARB;
       pixelAttribs[i++] = 0;
 
       pixelAttribs[i++] = WGL_ACCUM_BITS_ARB;
       pixelAttribs[i++] = 0;
 
+      if (!display_win32->force_enable_depth_bits)
+        {
+          pixelAttribs[i++] = WGL_DEPTH_BITS_ARB;
+          pixelAttribs[i++] = 0;
+        }
+
       /* end of "Update PIXEL_ATTRIBUTES above if any groups are added here!" */
 
       pixelAttribs[i++] = 0; /* end of pixelAttribs */
@@ -215,8 +217,20 @@ get_wgl_pfd (HDC                    hdc,
       pfd->cColorBits = GetDeviceCaps (hdc, BITSPIXEL);
       pfd->cAlphaBits = 8;
       pfd->iLayerType = PFD_MAIN_PLANE;
+      pfd->cAccumBits = 0;
+      pfd->cStencilBits = 0;
+
+      if (!display_win32->force_enable_depth_bits)
+        pfd->cDepthBits = 0;
 
       best_pf = ChoosePixelFormat (hdc, pfd);
+
+      /* try again if driver enforces depth buffers */
+      if (best_pf == 0 && !display_win32->force_enable_depth_bits)
+        {
+          display_win32->force_enable_depth_bits = TRUE;
+          get_wgl_pfd (hdc, pfd, display_win32);
+        }
     }
 
   return best_pf;
@@ -234,7 +248,7 @@ gdk_init_dummy_wgl_context (GdkWin32Display *display_win32)
 
   memset (&pfd, 0, sizeof (PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR));
 
-  best_idx = get_wgl_pfd (display_win32->dummy_context_wgl.hdc, &pfd, NULL);
+  best_idx = get_wgl_pfd (display_win32->dummy_context_wgl.hdc, &pfd, display_win32);
 
   if (best_idx != 0)
     set_pixel_format_result = SetPixelFormat (display_win32->dummy_context_wgl.hdc,