diff --git a/libweston/libweston-internal.h b/libweston/libweston-internal.h
index 65f754c25..6d6e44123 100644
--- a/libweston/libweston-internal.h
+++ b/libweston/libweston-internal.h
@@ -82,10 +82,15 @@ enum weston_renderer_border_side {
 	WESTON_RENDERER_BORDER_BOTTOM = 3,
 };
 
+enum weston_renderer_error {
+	WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_NONE = 0,
+	WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_LOST = 1,
+};
+
 struct weston_renderer {
-	void (*repaint_output)(struct weston_output *output,
-			       pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
-			       weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer);
+	enum weston_renderer_error (*repaint_output)(struct weston_output *output,
+						     pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
+						     weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer);
 
 	/** See weston_renderer_resize_output()
 	 *
diff --git a/libweston/noop-renderer.c b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
index a27bb827b..3694358a4 100644
--- a/libweston/noop-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ struct noop_renderer {
 	unsigned char seed; /* see comment in attach() */
 };
 
-static void
+static enum weston_renderer_error
 noop_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 			     pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
 			     weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer)
 {
+	return WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_NONE;
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
index ca948e784..8f6e50a46 100644
--- a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ static void
 pixman_renderer_output_set_buffer(struct weston_output *output,
 				  pixman_image_t *buffer);
 
-static void
+static enum weston_renderer_error
 pixman_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 			       pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
 			       weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer)
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ pixman_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 	       output->color_outcome->from_blend_to_output == NULL);
 
 	if (!po->hw_buffer)
- 		return;
+		goto out;
 
 	if (po->shadow_image) {
 		repaint_surfaces(output, output_damage);
@@ -641,6 +641,9 @@ pixman_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 	wl_signal_emit(&output->frame_signal, output_damage);
 
 	/* Actual flip should be done by caller */
+
+out:
+	return WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_NONE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
index ad4506bea..61736799e 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
@@ -3088,7 +3088,7 @@ blit_shadow_to_output(struct weston_output *output,
  * Depending on the underlying hardware, violating that assumption could
  * result in seeing through to another display plane.
  */
-static void
+static enum weston_renderer_error
 gl_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 			   pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
 			   weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer)
@@ -3114,7 +3114,7 @@ gl_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 		go->fb_size.height - go->area.height - go->area.y : go->area.y;
 
 	if (use_output(output) < 0)
-		return;
+		goto out;
 
 	rb = gl_renderer_update_renderbuffers(output, output_damage,
 					      renderbuffer);
@@ -3315,6 +3315,9 @@ gl_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 	gr->wireframe_dirty = false;
 
 	gl_renderer_garbage_collect_programs(gr);
+
+out:
+	return WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_NONE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-vulkan/vulkan-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-vulkan/vulkan-renderer.c
index fa53e99a1..90803e047 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-vulkan/vulkan-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-vulkan/vulkan-renderer.c
@@ -2400,7 +2400,7 @@ vulkan_renderer_recreate_swapchain(struct weston_output *output,
 	vulkan_renderer_create_swapchain(output, fb_size);
 }
 
-static void
+static enum weston_renderer_error
 vulkan_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 			       pixman_region32_t *output_damage,
 			       weston_renderbuffer_t renderbuffer)
@@ -2670,6 +2670,8 @@ vulkan_renderer_repaint_output(struct weston_output *output,
 	pixman_region32_clear(&rb->damage);
 
 	vo->frame_index = (vo->frame_index + 1) % vo->num_frames;
+
+	return WESTON_RENDERER_ERROR_NONE;
 }
 
 static void