diff --git a/shared/client-buffer-util.c b/shared/client-buffer-util.c
index 166cfbd98..149b11a84 100644
--- a/shared/client-buffer-util.c
+++ b/shared/client-buffer-util.c
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ client_buffer_util_create_shm_buffer(struct wl_shm *shm,
 
 	buf = xzalloc(sizeof *buf);
 	buf->fmt = fmt;
+	buf->type = CLIENT_BUFFER_TYPE_SHM;
 	buf->width = width;
 	buf->height = height;
 
@@ -321,6 +322,7 @@ client_buffer_util_create_dmabuf_buffer(struct wl_display *display,
 
 	buf = xzalloc(sizeof *buf);
 	buf->fmt = fmt;
+	buf->type = CLIENT_BUFFER_TYPE_DMABUF;
 	buf->width = width;
 	buf->height = height;
 
diff --git a/shared/client-buffer-util.h b/shared/client-buffer-util.h
index cfb910e18..21998d719 100644
--- a/shared/client-buffer-util.h
+++ b/shared/client-buffer-util.h
@@ -37,8 +37,14 @@ struct zwp_linux_dmabuf_v1;
 
 #define MAX_DMABUF_PLANES 4
 
+enum client_buffer_type {
+	CLIENT_BUFFER_TYPE_SHM = 1,
+	CLIENT_BUFFER_TYPE_DMABUF,
+};
+
 struct client_buffer {
 	const struct pixel_format_info *fmt;
+	enum client_buffer_type type;
 	struct wl_buffer *wl_buffer;
 	void *data;
 	size_t bytes;