diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 232b745997..aae6d51880 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ static unsigned swap_interval = 1;
 // Threaded video. Will possibly increase performance significantly at cost of worse synchronization and latency.
 static const bool video_threaded = false;
 
+// Set to true if HW render cores should get their private context.
+static const bool video_shared_context = false;
+
 // Smooths picture
 static const bool video_smooth = true;
 
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 466a1a2282..ea28fa0f10 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ struct settings
       bool gpu_screenshot;
 
       bool allow_rotate;
+      bool shared_context;
    } video;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
diff --git a/gfx/gfx_context.c b/gfx/gfx_context.c
index 04576bf578..eea953a0bc 100644
--- a/gfx/gfx_context.c
+++ b/gfx/gfx_context.c
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@ const gfx_ctx_driver_t *gfx_ctx_init_first(void *data, enum gfx_ctx_api api, uns
       if (gfx_ctx_drivers[i]->bind_api(data, api, major, minor))
       {
          if (gfx_ctx_drivers[i]->bind_hw_render)
-            gfx_ctx_drivers[i]->bind_hw_render(data, hw_render_ctx);
+         {
+            gfx_ctx_drivers[i]->bind_hw_render(data,
+                  g_settings.video.shared_context && hw_render_ctx);
+         }
+
          if (gfx_ctx_drivers[i]->init(data))
             return gfx_ctx_drivers[i];
       }
diff --git a/gfx/gl.c b/gfx/gl.c
index df3ced4538..77cb55af7a 100644
--- a/gfx/gl.c
+++ b/gfx/gl.c
@@ -1929,7 +1929,7 @@ static const gfx_ctx_driver_t *gl_get_context(gl_t *gl)
 
          // Enables or disables offscreen HW context.
          if (ctx->bind_hw_render)
-            ctx->bind_hw_render(gl, cb->context_type != RETRO_HW_CONTEXT_NONE);
+            ctx->bind_hw_render(gl, g_settings.video.shared_context && cb->context_type != RETRO_HW_CONTEXT_NONE);
 
          if (!ctx->init(gl))
          {
diff --git a/retroarch.cfg b/retroarch.cfg
index 99ee5738ec..dafdfc6292 100644
--- a/retroarch.cfg
+++ b/retroarch.cfg
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@
 # Use threaded video driver. Using this might improve performance at possible cost of latency and more video stuttering.
 # video_threaded = false
 
+# Use a shared context for HW rendered libretro cores.
+# Avoids having to assume GL state changes inbetween frames.
+# video_shared_context = false
+
 # Smoothens picture with bilinear filtering. Should be disabled if using pixel shaders.
 # video_smooth = true
 
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index 8bd41900fe..0db5d507d6 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ void config_set_defaults(void)
    g_settings.video.black_frame_insertion = black_frame_insertion;
    g_settings.video.swap_interval = swap_interval;
    g_settings.video.threaded = video_threaded;
+   g_settings.video.shared_context = video_shared_context;
    g_settings.video.smooth = video_smooth;
    g_settings.video.force_aspect = force_aspect;
    g_settings.video.scale_integer = scale_integer;
@@ -775,6 +776,7 @@ bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults)
    g_settings.video.swap_interval = max(g_settings.video.swap_interval, 1);
    g_settings.video.swap_interval = min(g_settings.video.swap_interval, 4);
    CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.threaded, "video_threaded");
+   CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.shared_context, "video_shared_context");
    CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.smooth, "video_smooth");
    CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.force_aspect, "video_force_aspect");
    CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.scale_integer, "video_scale_integer");
@@ -1280,6 +1282,7 @@ bool config_save_file(const char *path)
    config_set_bool(conf, "video_scale_integer", g_settings.video.scale_integer);
    config_set_bool(conf, "video_smooth", g_settings.video.smooth);
    config_set_bool(conf, "video_threaded", g_settings.video.threaded);
+   config_set_bool(conf, "video_shared_context", g_settings.video.shared_context);
    config_set_bool(conf, "video_fullscreen", g_settings.video.fullscreen);
    config_set_float(conf, "video_refresh_rate", g_settings.video.refresh_rate);
    config_set_int(conf, "video_monitor_index", g_settings.video.monitor_index);