diff --git a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr.c b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr.c
index 85aab280f..f46a89d55 100644
--- a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr.c
+++ b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr.c
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@
 #endif /*XEPHYR_DRI*/
 
 extern int KdTsPhyScreen;
+#ifdef GLXEXT
+extern Bool noGlxVisualInit;
+#endif
+
 KdKeyboardInfo *ephyrKbd;
 KdPointerInfo *ephyrMouse;
 EphyrKeySyms ephyrKeySyms;
@@ -628,6 +632,11 @@ ephyrInitScreen (ScreenPtr pScreen)
 #endif /*XV*/
 
 #ifdef XEPHYR_DRI
+  if (!ephyrNoDRI && !hostx_has_dri ()) {
+      EPHYR_LOG ("host x does not support DRI. Disabling DRI forwarding\n") ;
+      ephyrNoDRI = TRUE ;
+      noGlxVisualInit = FALSE ;
+  }
   if (!ephyrNoDRI) {
     ephyrDRIExtensionInit (pScreen) ;
     ephyrHijackGLXExtension () ;
@@ -635,6 +644,12 @@ ephyrInitScreen (ScreenPtr pScreen)
   }
 #endif
 
+#ifdef GLXEXT
+  if (ephyrNoDRI) {
+      noGlxVisualInit = FALSE ;
+  }
+#endif
+
   return TRUE;
 }