diff --git a/src/i_video.h b/src/i_video.h
index 8f87a360e..294b7ef84 100644
--- a/src/i_video.h
+++ b/src/i_video.h
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ typedef enum
 extern rendermode_t rendermode;
 
 /**	\brief hardware renderer loaded
+	0 = never loaded, 1 = loaded successfully, -1 = failed loading
 */
-extern boolean hwrenderloaded;
+extern INT32 hwrenderloaded;
 
 /**	\brief use highcolor modes if true
 */
diff --git a/src/sdl/i_video.c b/src/sdl/i_video.c
index afaaa2775..18cce3eab 100644
--- a/src/sdl/i_video.c
+++ b/src/sdl/i_video.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ static consvar_t cv_stretch = {"stretch", "Off", CV_SAVE|CV_NOSHOWHELP, CV_OnOff
 static consvar_t cv_alwaysgrabmouse = {"alwaysgrabmouse", "Off", CV_SAVE, CV_OnOff, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 UINT8 graphics_started = 0; // Is used in console.c and screen.c
-boolean hwrenderloaded = false;
+INT32 hwrenderloaded = 0;
 
 // To disable fullscreen at startup; is set in VID_PrepareModeList
 boolean allow_fullscreen = false;
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ static SDL_bool Impl_CreateContext(void)
 #ifdef HWRENDER
 static void VID_CheckGLLoaded(rendermode_t oldrender)
 {
-	if (!hwrenderloaded) // Well, it didn't work the first time anyway.
+	if (hwrenderloaded == -1) // Well, it didn't work the first time anyway.
 	{
 		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "OpenGL never loaded\n");
 		rendermode = oldrender;
@@ -1505,8 +1505,13 @@ void VID_CheckRenderer(void)
 	{
 		rendermode = setrenderneeded;
 #ifdef HWRENDER
-		if (setrenderneeded == render_opengl)
+		if (rendermode == render_opengl)
+		{
 			VID_CheckGLLoaded(oldrenderer);
+			// Initialise OpenGL before calling SDLSetMode!!!
+			if (hwrenderloaded != 1)
+				I_StartupHardwareGraphics();
+		}
 #endif
 		Impl_CreateContext();
 	}
@@ -1522,14 +1527,14 @@ void VID_CheckRenderer(void)
 			bufSurface = NULL;
 		}
 #ifdef HWRENDER
-		HWR_FreeTextureCache();
+		if (hwrenderloaded == 1) // Only if OpenGL ever loaded!
+			HWR_FreeTextureCache();
 #endif
 		SCR_SetDrawFuncs();
 	}
 #ifdef HWRENDER
 	else if (rendermode == render_opengl)
 	{
-		I_StartupHardwareGraphics();
 		// Needs to check if switching failed somehow, too.
 		if (rendermode == render_opengl)
 		{
@@ -1714,7 +1719,8 @@ void I_StartupGraphics(void)
 	//SDL_EnableKeyRepeat(SDL_DEFAULT_REPEAT_DELAY>>1,SDL_DEFAULT_REPEAT_INTERVAL<<2);
 	VID_Command_ModeList_f();
 #ifdef HWRENDER
-	I_StartupHardwareGraphics();
+	if (chosenrendermode == render_opengl)
+		I_StartupHardwareGraphics();
 #endif
 
 	// Fury: we do window initialization after GL setup to allow
@@ -1807,12 +1813,12 @@ void I_StartupHardwareGraphics(void)
 		if (HWD.pfnGetRenderVersion() != VERSION)
 		{
 			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("The version of the renderer doesn't match the version of the executable\nBe sure you have installed SRB2 properly.\n"));
-			hwrenderloaded = false;
+			hwrenderloaded = -1;
 		}
 		else
-			hwrenderloaded = HWD.pfnInit(I_Error); // let load the OpenGL library
+			hwrenderloaded = HWD.pfnInit(I_Error) ? 1 : -1; // let load the OpenGL library
 
-		if (!hwrenderloaded)
+		if (hwrenderloaded == -1)
 		{
 			rendermode = render_soft;
 			setrenderneeded = 0;
diff --git a/src/sdl/ogl_sdl.c b/src/sdl/ogl_sdl.c
index 3e02e4ec3..6654a75a0 100644
--- a/src/sdl/ogl_sdl.c
+++ b/src/sdl/ogl_sdl.c
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ boolean LoadGL(void)
 
 	if (SDL_GL_LoadLibrary(OGLLibname) != 0)
 	{
-		I_OutputMsg("Could not load OpenGL Library: %s\n"
+		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Could not load OpenGL Library: %s\n"
 					"Falling back to Software mode.\n", SDL_GetError());
 		if (!M_CheckParm ("-OGLlib"))
-			I_OutputMsg("If you know what is the OpenGL library's name, use -OGLlib\n");
+			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "If you know what is the OpenGL library's name, use -OGLlib\n");
 		return 0;
 	}