diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
index 6b90c1e6dfe..631da7da9f9 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
@@ -141,9 +141,10 @@ bo_new(struct fd_device *dev, uint32_t size, uint32_t flags,
    struct fd_bo *bo = NULL;
 
    if (size < FD_BO_HEAP_BLOCK_SIZE) {
-      if ((flags == 0) && dev->default_heap)
+      uint32_t alloc_flags = flags & ~_FD_BO_HINTS;
+      if ((alloc_flags == 0) && dev->default_heap)
          bo = fd_bo_heap_alloc(dev->default_heap, size);
-      else if ((flags == RING_FLAGS) && dev->ring_heap)
+      else if ((alloc_flags == RING_FLAGS) && dev->ring_heap)
          bo = fd_bo_heap_alloc(dev->ring_heap, size);
       if (bo)
          return bo;
diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_drmif.h b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_drmif.h
index 30490b12c30..9f09e7f416e 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_drmif.h
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_drmif.h
@@ -147,6 +147,16 @@ int fd_fence_wait(struct fd_fence *f);
 /* internal bo flags: */
 #define _FD_BO_NOSYNC             BITSET_BIT(7) /* Avoid userspace fencing on control buffers */
 
+/* Additional flags hinting usage, only used for tracing.  Buffers without
+ * one of these flags set will be presumed to be driver internal.
+ */
+#define FD_BO_HINT_BUFFER         BITSET_BIT(8)
+#define FD_BO_HINT_IMAGE          BITSET_BIT(9)
+#define _FD_BO_HINTS              ( \
+   FD_BO_HINT_BUFFER | \
+   FD_BO_HINT_IMAGE | \
+   0)
+
 /*
  * bo access flags: (keep aligned to MSM_PREP_x)
  */
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_resource.c b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_resource.c
index b4a082f3cd0..f953451f7f6 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_resource.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_resource.c
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ realloc_bo(struct fd_resource *rsc, uint32_t size)
    struct pipe_resource *prsc = &rsc->b.b;
    struct fd_screen *screen = fd_screen(rsc->b.b.screen);
    uint32_t flags =
+      (prsc->target == PIPE_BUFFER) ? FD_BO_HINT_BUFFER : FD_BO_HINT_IMAGE |
       COND(rsc->layout.tile_mode, FD_BO_NOMAP) |
       COND((prsc->usage & PIPE_USAGE_STAGING) &&
            (prsc->flags & PIPE_RESOURCE_FLAG_MAP_COHERENT),