diff --git a/src/glx/drisw_glx.c b/src/glx/drisw_glx.c
index 3d3f75259bc..cbba547d7eb 100644
--- a/src/glx/drisw_glx.c
+++ b/src/glx/drisw_glx.c
@@ -1001,7 +1001,9 @@ driswCreateScreenDriver(int screen, struct glx_display *priv,
       if (!psc->has_multibuffer &&
           !debug_get_bool_option("LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE", false) &&
           !debug_get_bool_option("LIBGL_KOPPER_DRI2", false)) {
-         CriticalErrorMessageF("DRI3 not available\n");
+         /* only print error if zink was explicitly requested */
+         if (pdpyp->zink == TRY_ZINK_YES)
+            CriticalErrorMessageF("DRI3 not available\n");
          goto handle_error;
       }
    }
@@ -1049,7 +1051,8 @@ driswCreateScreenDriver(int screen, struct glx_display *priv,
    glx_screen_cleanup(&psc->base);
    free(psc);
 
-   CriticalErrorMessageF("failed to load driver: %s\n", driver);
+   if (pdpyp->zink == TRY_ZINK_YES)
+      CriticalErrorMessageF("failed to load driver: %s\n", driver);
 
    return NULL;
 }
@@ -1079,7 +1082,7 @@ driswDestroyDisplay(__GLXDRIdisplay * dpy)
  * display pointer.
  */
 _X_HIDDEN __GLXDRIdisplay *
-driswCreateDisplay(Display * dpy, bool zink)
+driswCreateDisplay(Display * dpy, enum try_zink zink)
 {
    struct drisw_display *pdpyp;
 
diff --git a/src/glx/drisw_priv.h b/src/glx/drisw_priv.h
index 53674f81a24..c7687ebcb63 100644
--- a/src/glx/drisw_priv.h
+++ b/src/glx/drisw_priv.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 struct drisw_display
 {
    __GLXDRIdisplay base;
-   bool zink;
+   enum try_zink zink;
 };
 
 struct drisw_screen
diff --git a/src/glx/glxclient.h b/src/glx/glxclient.h
index e262b4a80fa..e4eb3b41451 100644
--- a/src/glx/glxclient.h
+++ b/src/glx/glxclient.h
@@ -133,11 +133,17 @@ struct __GLXDRIdrawableRec
    int refcount;
 };
 
+enum try_zink {
+   TRY_ZINK_NO,
+   TRY_ZINK_INFER,
+   TRY_ZINK_YES,
+};
+
 /*
 ** Function to create and DRI display data and initialize the display
 ** dependent methods.
 */
-extern __GLXDRIdisplay *driswCreateDisplay(Display * dpy, bool zink);
+extern __GLXDRIdisplay *driswCreateDisplay(Display * dpy, enum try_zink zink);
 extern __GLXDRIdisplay *dri2CreateDisplay(Display * dpy);
 extern __GLXDRIdisplay *dri3_create_display(Display * dpy);
 extern __GLXDRIdisplay *driwindowsCreateDisplay(Display * dpy);
diff --git a/src/glx/glxext.c b/src/glx/glxext.c
index 6cf04d1b745..eebdfceeb4c 100644
--- a/src/glx/glxext.c
+++ b/src/glx/glxext.c
@@ -918,7 +918,8 @@ __glXInitialize(Display * dpy)
    }
 #endif /* GLX_USE_DRM */
    if (glx_direct)
-      dpyPriv->driswDisplay = driswCreateDisplay(dpy, zink | try_zink);
+      dpyPriv->driswDisplay = driswCreateDisplay(dpy, zink ? TRY_ZINK_YES :
+                                                             try_zink ? TRY_ZINK_INFER : TRY_ZINK_NO);
 
 #ifdef GLX_USE_WINDOWSGL
    if (glx_direct && glx_accel)
@@ -939,7 +940,7 @@ __glXInitialize(Display * dpy)
       if (try_zink) {
          free(dpyPriv->screens);
          dpyPriv->driswDisplay->destroyDisplay(dpyPriv->driswDisplay);
-         dpyPriv->driswDisplay = driswCreateDisplay(dpy, false);
+         dpyPriv->driswDisplay = driswCreateDisplay(dpy, TRY_ZINK_NO);
          fail = !AllocAndFetchScreenConfigs(dpy, dpyPriv, False);
       }
 #endif