diff --git a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
index 2d0acf48..ae539bf8 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
+++ b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.c
@@ -834,6 +834,15 @@ bool gl_init(struct gl_data *gd, session_t *ps) {
 		log_add_target_tls(gd->logger);
 	}
 
+	const char *vendor = (const char *)glGetString(GL_VENDOR);
+	log_debug("GL_VENDOR = %s", vendor);
+	if (strcmp(vendor, "NVIDIA Corporation") == 0) {
+		log_info("GL vendor is NVIDIA, don't use glFinish");
+		gd->is_nvidia = true;
+	} else {
+		gd->is_nvidia = false;
+	}
+
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
index 993b6691..ebcc1bae 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
+++ b/src/backend/gl/gl_common.h
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ typedef struct gl_texture {
 
 struct gl_data {
 	backend_t base;
+	// If we are using proprietary NVIDIA driver
+	bool is_nvidia;
 	// Height and width of the viewport
 	int height, width;
 	int npasses;
diff --git a/src/backend/gl/glx.c b/src/backend/gl/glx.c
index 0c1d2dde..c14cb6eb 100644
--- a/src/backend/gl/glx.c
+++ b/src/backend/gl/glx.c
@@ -435,6 +435,10 @@ err:
 static void glx_present(backend_t *base) {
 	struct _glx_data *gd = (void *)base;
 	glXSwapBuffers(gd->display, gd->target_win);
+	// XXX there should be no need to block compton will wait for render to finish
+	if (!gd->gl.is_nvidia) {
+		glXWaitGL();
+	}
 }
 
 static int glx_buffer_age(backend_t *base) {