diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/evergreen_state.c b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/evergreen_state.c
index e3f80929b03..65a4fd8b3cc 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/evergreen_state.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/evergreen_state.c
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ bool evergreen_is_format_supported(struct pipe_screen *screen,
 
 	if (usage & PIPE_BIND_SAMPLER_VIEW) {
 		if (target == PIPE_BUFFER) {
-			if (r600_is_vertex_format_supported(format))
+			if (r600_is_buffer_format_supported(format, false))
 				retval |= PIPE_BIND_SAMPLER_VIEW;
 		} else {
 			if (r600_is_sampler_format_supported(screen, format))
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ bool evergreen_is_format_supported(struct pipe_screen *screen,
 	}
 
 	if ((usage & PIPE_BIND_VERTEX_BUFFER) &&
-	    r600_is_vertex_format_supported(format)) {
+	    r600_is_buffer_format_supported(format, true)) {
 		retval |= PIPE_BIND_VERTEX_BUFFER;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_formats.h b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_formats.h
index 3ff12ddf8c7..c5899424c6c 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_formats.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_formats.h
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static inline unsigned r600_endian_swap(unsigned size)
 	}
 }
 
-static inline bool r600_is_vertex_format_supported(enum pipe_format format)
+static inline bool r600_is_buffer_format_supported(enum pipe_format format, bool for_vbo)
 {
 	const struct util_format_description *desc = util_format_description(format);
 	unsigned i;
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ static inline bool r600_is_vertex_format_supported(enum pipe_format format)
 	     desc->channel[i].type == UTIL_FORMAT_TYPE_UNSIGNED))
 		return false;
 
-	/* No 8 bit 3 channel formats */
+    /* No 8 bit 3 channel formats for TBOs */
 	if (desc->channel[i].size == 8 && desc->nr_channels == 3)
-		return false;
+		return for_vbo;
 
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state.c b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state.c
index 274978e5f85..144ef549be8 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ bool r600_is_format_supported(struct pipe_screen *screen,
 
 	if (usage & PIPE_BIND_SAMPLER_VIEW) {
 		if (target == PIPE_BUFFER) {
-			if (r600_is_vertex_format_supported(format))
+			if (r600_is_buffer_format_supported(format, false))
 				retval |= PIPE_BIND_SAMPLER_VIEW;
 		} else {
 			if (r600_is_sampler_format_supported(screen, format))
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ bool r600_is_format_supported(struct pipe_screen *screen,
 	}
 
 	if ((usage & PIPE_BIND_VERTEX_BUFFER) &&
-	    r600_is_vertex_format_supported(format)) {
+	    r600_is_buffer_format_supported(format, true)) {
 		retval |= PIPE_BIND_VERTEX_BUFFER;
 	}