diff --git a/compositor/main.c b/compositor/main.c
index 111ddebcb..8e5c904ce 100644
--- a/compositor/main.c
+++ b/compositor/main.c
@@ -3208,6 +3208,7 @@ weston_vnc_backend_config_init(struct weston_vnc_backend_config *config)
 	config->base.struct_version = WESTON_VNC_BACKEND_CONFIG_VERSION;
 	config->base.struct_size = sizeof(struct weston_vnc_backend_config);
 
+	config->renderer = WESTON_RENDERER_AUTO;
 	config->bind_address = NULL;
 	config->port = 5900;
 	config->refresh_rate = VNC_DEFAULT_FREQ;
diff --git a/include/libweston/backend-vnc.h b/include/libweston/backend-vnc.h
index 3495c0e4f..c8c299846 100644
--- a/include/libweston/backend-vnc.h
+++ b/include/libweston/backend-vnc.h
@@ -55,10 +55,11 @@ weston_vnc_output_get_api(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 	return (const struct weston_vnc_output_api *)api;
 }
 
-#define WESTON_VNC_BACKEND_CONFIG_VERSION 1
+#define WESTON_VNC_BACKEND_CONFIG_VERSION 2
 
 struct weston_vnc_backend_config {
 	struct weston_backend_config base;
+	enum weston_renderer_type renderer;
 	char *bind_address;
 	int port;
 	int refresh_rate;
diff --git a/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c b/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
index d39ed97a4..92f827065 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-vnc/vnc.c
@@ -972,6 +972,16 @@ vnc_backend_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 	if (weston_compositor_set_presentation_clock_software(compositor) < 0)
 		goto err_compositor;
 
+	switch (config->renderer) {
+	case WESTON_RENDERER_AUTO:
+	case WESTON_RENDERER_PIXMAN:
+		weston_log("Using Pixman renderer\n");
+		break;
+	default:
+		weston_log("Unsupported renderer requested\n");
+		goto err_compositor;
+	}
+
 	if (pixman_renderer_init(compositor) < 0)
 		goto err_compositor;