diff --git a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.c b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.c
index 07df3b43456..af867b71b3e 100644
--- a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.c
+++ b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.c
@@ -880,6 +880,7 @@ dri2_initialize(_EGLDisplay *disp)
 
    loader_set_logger(_eglLog);
 
+   bool allow_dri2 = false;
    switch (disp->Platform) {
    case _EGL_PLATFORM_SURFACELESS:
       ret = dri2_initialize_surfaceless(disp);
@@ -889,7 +890,17 @@ dri2_initialize(_EGLDisplay *disp)
       break;
    case _EGL_PLATFORM_X11:
    case _EGL_PLATFORM_XCB:
-      ret = dri2_initialize_x11(disp);
+      ret = dri2_initialize_x11(disp, &allow_dri2);
+      /* platform_x11 detects dri2 availability */
+      if (!ret && allow_dri2) {
+         /* this is a fallthrough using the same dri2_dpy from dri3,
+         * so the existing one must be destroyed and a new one created
+         * the caller will switch to the new display automatically
+         */
+         dri2_display_destroy(disp);
+         dri2_display_create(disp);
+         ret = dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(disp);
+      }
       break;
    case _EGL_PLATFORM_DRM:
       ret = dri2_initialize_drm(disp);
diff --git a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.h b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.h
index 3f3505d3dd2..41443bdc8e4 100644
--- a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.h
+++ b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/egl_dri2.h
@@ -503,14 +503,21 @@ dri2_create_image_from_dri(_EGLDisplay *disp, struct dri_image *dri_image);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_X11_PLATFORM
 EGLBoolean
-dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp);
+dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(_EGLDisplay *disp);
+EGLBoolean
+dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp, bool *allow_dri2);
 void
 dri2_teardown_x11(struct dri2_egl_display *dri2_dpy);
 unsigned int
 dri2_x11_get_red_mask_for_depth(struct dri2_egl_display *dri2_dpy, int depth);
 #else
 static inline EGLBoolean
-dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp)
+dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(_EGLDisplay *disp)
+{
+   return _eglError(EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED, "X11 platform not built");
+}
+static inline EGLBoolean
+dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp, bool *allow_dri2)
 {
    return _eglError(EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED, "X11 platform not built");
 }
diff --git a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/platform_x11.c b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/platform_x11.c
index 5af91888da3..283b0a0b8b3 100644
--- a/src/egl/drivers/dri2/platform_x11.c
+++ b/src/egl/drivers/dri2/platform_x11.c
@@ -1948,7 +1948,8 @@ static const __DRIextension *dri2_loader_extensions[] = {
    NULL,
 };
 
-static EGLBoolean
+/* don't consolidate any of this, it's a separate codepath  */
+EGLBoolean
 dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(_EGLDisplay *disp)
 {
    struct dri2_egl_display *dri2_dpy = dri2_egl_display(disp);
@@ -2005,10 +2006,16 @@ dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(_EGLDisplay *disp)
 cleanup:
    return EGL_FALSE;
 }
+#else
+EGLBoolean
+dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(_EGLDisplay *disp)
+{
+   return _eglError(EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED, "legacy-x11 dri2 not built");
+}
 #endif
 
 EGLBoolean
-dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp)
+dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp, bool *allow_dri2)
 {
    enum dri2_egl_driver_fail status = DRI2_EGL_DRIVER_FAILED;
    if (disp->Options.ForceSoftware ||
@@ -2024,16 +2031,10 @@ dri2_initialize_x11(_EGLDisplay *disp)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_X11_DRI2
-   if (!debug_get_bool_option("LIBGL_DRI2_DISABLE", false) &&
-       status != DRI2_EGL_DRIVER_PREFER_ZINK)
-      /* this is a fallthrough using the same dri2_dpy from dri3,
-       * so the existing one must be destroyed and a new one created
-       * the caller will switch to the new display automatically
-       */
-      dri2_display_destroy(disp);
-      dri2_display_create(disp);
-      if (dri2_initialize_x11_dri2(disp))
-         return EGL_TRUE;
+   *allow_dri2 = !debug_get_bool_option("LIBGL_DRI2_DISABLE", false) &&
+                  status != DRI2_EGL_DRIVER_PREFER_ZINK;
+#else
+   *allow_dri2 = false;
 #endif
 
    return EGL_FALSE;