diff --git a/gsk/gskprofiler.c b/gsk/gskprofiler.c
index bc7301046b..be83d66a56 100644
--- a/gsk/gskprofiler.c
+++ b/gsk/gskprofiler.c
@@ -206,6 +206,26 @@ gsk_profiler_counter_inc (GskProfiler *profiler,
   gsk_profiler_counter_add (profiler, counter_id, 1);
 }
 
+void
+gsk_profiler_counter_set (GskProfiler *profiler,
+                          GQuark       counter_id,
+                          gint64       value)
+{
+  NamedCounter *counter;
+
+  g_return_if_fail (GSK_IS_PROFILER (profiler));
+
+  counter = gsk_profiler_get_counter (profiler, counter_id);
+  if (counter == NULL)
+    {
+      g_critical ("No counter '%s' (id:%d) found; did you forget to call gsk_profiler_add_counter()?",
+                  g_quark_to_string (counter_id), counter_id);
+      return;
+    }
+
+  counter->value = value;
+}
+
 void
 gsk_profiler_counter_add (GskProfiler *profiler,
                           GQuark       counter_id,
@@ -217,7 +237,11 @@ gsk_profiler_counter_add (GskProfiler *profiler,
 
   counter = gsk_profiler_get_counter (profiler, counter_id);
   if (counter == NULL)
-    return;
+    {
+      g_critical ("No counter '%s' (id:%d) found; did you forget to call gsk_profiler_add_counter()?",
+                  g_quark_to_string (counter_id), counter_id);
+      return;
+    }
 
   counter->value += increment;
 }
diff --git a/gsk/gskprofilerprivate.h b/gsk/gskprofilerprivate.h
index e30a810432..ca0f44518b 100644
--- a/gsk/gskprofilerprivate.h
+++ b/gsk/gskprofilerprivate.h
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ void            gsk_profiler_counter_inc        (GskProfiler *profiler,
 void            gsk_profiler_counter_add        (GskProfiler *profiler,
                                                  GQuark       counter_id,
                                                  gint64       increment);
+void            gsk_profiler_counter_set        (GskProfiler *profiler,
+                                                 GQuark       counter_id,
+                                                 gint64       value);
 void            gsk_profiler_timer_begin        (GskProfiler *profiler,
                                                  GQuark       timer_id);
 gint64          gsk_profiler_timer_end          (GskProfiler *profiler,