diff --git a/src/backend/gl/glx.c b/src/backend/gl/glx.c
index 2b58abc9..f09e5412 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/glx.c
+++ b/src/backend/gl/glx.c
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ static void glx_deinit(void *backend_data, session_t *ps) {
  */
 static void *glx_init(session_t *ps) {
 	bool success = false;
+	glxext_init(ps->dpy, ps->scr);
 	auto gd = ccalloc(1, struct _glx_data);
 	XVisualInfo *pvis = NULL;
 
@@ -264,8 +265,10 @@ static void *glx_init(session_t *ps) {
 	}
 
 	// Ensure GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap exists
-	if (!glxext.has_GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap)
+	if (!glxext.has_GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap) {
+		log_error("GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap is not supported by your driver");
 		goto end;
+	}
 
 	// Initialize GLX data structure
 	for (int i = 0; i < MAX_BLUR_PASS; ++i) {
diff --git a/src/compton.c b/src/compton.c
index 9fb1f941..9665abfe 100644
--- a/src/compton.c
+++ b/src/compton.c
@@ -2662,7 +2662,7 @@ session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy, const char *config_file,
   }
   free(config_file_to_free);
 
-  if (bkend_use_glx(ps)) {
+  if (bkend_use_glx(ps) && !ps->o.experimental_backends) {
     auto glx_logger = glx_string_marker_logger_new();
     if (glx_logger) {
       log_info("Enabling gl string marker");