diff --git a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
index de1ff73a..22c74ba5 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
+++ b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
@@ -885,24 +885,35 @@ bool gl_init(struct gl_data *gd, session_t *ps) {
 	glUseProgram(0);
 
 	gd->dithered_present = ps->o.dithered_present;
+	gd->dummy_prog =
+	    gl_create_program_from_strv((const char *[]){present_vertex_shader, NULL},
+	                                (const char *[]){dummy_frag, NULL});
+	if (!gd->dummy_prog) {
+		log_error("Failed to create the dummy shader");
+		return false;
+	}
 	if (gd->dithered_present) {
 		gd->present_prog = gl_create_program_from_strv(
 		    (const char *[]){present_vertex_shader, NULL},
 		    (const char *[]){present_frag, dither_glsl, NULL});
 	} else {
-		gd->present_prog = gl_create_program_from_strv(
-		    (const char *[]){present_vertex_shader, NULL},
-		    (const char *[]){dummy_frag, NULL});
+		gd->present_prog = gd->dummy_prog;
 	}
 	if (!gd->present_prog) {
 		log_error("Failed to create the present shader");
 		return false;
 	}
-	pml = glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->present_prog, "projection");
-	glUseProgram(gd->present_prog);
-	glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->present_prog, "tex"), 0);
+
+	pml = glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->dummy_prog, "projection");
+	glUseProgram(gd->dummy_prog);
+	glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->dummy_prog, "tex"), 0);
 	glUniformMatrix4fv(pml, 1, false, projection_matrix[0]);
-	glUseProgram(0);
+	if (gd->present_prog != gd->dummy_prog) {
+		pml = glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->present_prog, "projection");
+		glUseProgram(gd->present_prog);
+		glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->present_prog, "tex"), 0);
+		glUniformMatrix4fv(pml, 1, false, projection_matrix[0]);
+	}
 
 	gd->shadow_shader.prog =
 	    gl_create_program_from_str(present_vertex_shader, shadow_colorization_frag);
@@ -912,7 +923,6 @@ bool gl_init(struct gl_data *gd, session_t *ps) {
 	glUseProgram(gd->shadow_shader.prog);
 	glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->shadow_shader.prog, "tex"), 0);
 	glUniformMatrix4fv(pml, 1, false, projection_matrix[0]);
-	glUseProgram(0);
 	glBindFragDataLocation(gd->shadow_shader.prog, 0, "out_color");
 
 	gd->brightness_shader.prog =
@@ -925,6 +935,7 @@ bool gl_init(struct gl_data *gd, session_t *ps) {
 	glUseProgram(gd->brightness_shader.prog);
 	glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocationChecked(gd->brightness_shader.prog, "tex"), 0);
 	glUniformMatrix4fv(pml, 1, false, projection_matrix[0]);
+
 	glUseProgram(0);
 
 	// Set up the size and format of the back texture
@@ -1026,8 +1037,7 @@ static inline void gl_image_decouple(backend_t *base, struct backend_image *img)
 	             GL_BGRA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, NULL);
 	glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0);
 
-	assert(gd->present_prog);
-	glUseProgram(gd->present_prog);
+	glUseProgram(gd->dummy_prog);
 	glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, inner->texture);
 
 	GLuint fbo;
diff --git a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
index a1f396b8..cacee38a 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
+++ b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ struct gl_data {
 	GLuint frame_timing[2];
 	int current_frame_timing;
 	GLuint present_prog;
+	GLuint dummy_prog;
 
 	bool dithered_present;