diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.cpp b/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.cpp
index d119388682..ea53093eb9 100644
--- a/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.cpp
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ KWinAdvancedCompositingOptions::KWinAdvancedCompositingOptions(QWidget* parent,
 
     connect(ui.compositingType, SIGNAL(currentIndexChanged(int)), this, SLOT(changed()));
     connect(ui.windowThumbnails, SIGNAL(activated(int)), this, SLOT(changed()));
+    connect(ui.disableChecks, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this, SLOT(changed()));
     connect(ui.glMode, SIGNAL(currentIndexChanged(int)), this, SLOT(changed()));
     connect(ui.glTextureFilter, SIGNAL(currentIndexChanged(int)), this, SLOT(changed()));
     connect(ui.glDirect, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this, SLOT(changed()));
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ void KWinAdvancedCompositingOptions::load()
         ui.windowThumbnails->setCurrentIndex( 2 );
     else // shown, or default
         ui.windowThumbnails->setCurrentIndex( 1 );
+    ui.disableChecks->setChecked( config.readEntry( "DisableChecks", false ));
 
     QString glMode = config.readEntry("GLMode", "TFP");
     ui.glMode->setCurrentIndex((glMode == "TFP") ? 0 : ((glMode == "SHM") ? 1 : 2));
@@ -160,7 +162,8 @@ void KWinAdvancedCompositingOptions::save()
         || config.readEntry("GLMode", "TFP") != glModes[ui.glMode->currentIndex()]
         || config.readEntry("GLDirect", mDefaultPrefs->enableDirectRendering())
             != ui.glDirect->isChecked()
-        || config.readEntry("GLVSync", mDefaultPrefs->enableVSync()) != ui.glVSync->isChecked())
+        || config.readEntry("GLVSync", mDefaultPrefs->enableVSync()) != ui.glVSync->isChecked()
+        || config.readEntry("DisableChecks", false ) != ui.disableChecks->isChecked())
         {
         showConfirm = true;
         }
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ void KWinAdvancedCompositingOptions::save()
     config.writeEntry("Backend", (ui.compositingType->currentIndex() == 0) ? "OpenGL" : "XRender");
     static const int hps[] = { 1 /*always*/, 3 /*shown*/,  0 /*never*/ };
     config.writeEntry("HiddenPreviews", hps[ ui.windowThumbnails->currentIndex() ] );
+    config.writeEntry("DisableChecks", ui.disableChecks->isChecked());
 
     config.writeEntry("GLMode", glModes[ui.glMode->currentIndex()]);
     config.writeEntry("GLTextureFilter", ui.glTextureFilter->currentIndex());
diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.ui b/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.ui
index fc81711c10..bb2956b041 100644
--- a/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.ui
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwincompositing/advanced.ui
@@ -65,6 +65,17 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
+   <item>
+    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="disableChecks" >
+     <property name="whatsThis" >
+      <string>Enabling this option allows compositing to be activated even if some of the internal checks fail. Doing so may make the whole desktop unusable and its use is not recommened. Use only if KWin refuses to activate compositing on a system that should be capable of compositing.
+</string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="text" >
+      <string>Disable functionality checks</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
    <item>
     <widget class="QGroupBox" name="glGroup" >
      <property name="title" >
diff --git a/options.cpp b/options.cpp
index b092b98707..d6b71183eb 100644
--- a/options.cpp
+++ b/options.cpp
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ void Options::reloadCompositingSettings(const CompositingPrefs& prefs)
         compositingMode = XRenderCompositing;
     else
         compositingMode = OpenGLCompositing;
+    disableCompositingChecks = config.readEntry("DisableChecks", false);
     QString glmode = config.readEntry("GLMode", "TFP" ).toUpper();
     if( glmode == "TFP" )
         glMode = GLTFP;
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index e31885c668..c7bcd5f21b 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ class Options : public KDecorationOptions
         CompositingType compositingMode;
         HiddenPreviews hiddenPreviews;
         bool unredirectFullscreen;
+        bool disableCompositingChecks;
         
         uint refreshRate;
         // This is for OpenGL mode
diff --git a/scene_opengl.cpp b/scene_opengl.cpp
index 0c2de9c42d..2b3cedbc5d 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl.cpp
@@ -696,6 +696,11 @@ bool SceneOpenGL::selfCheck()
         wspace->hideOverlay();
     if( ok )
         kDebug( 1212 ) << "Compositing self-check passed.";
+    if( !ok && options->disableCompositingChecks )
+        {
+        kWarning( 1212 ) << "Compositing checks disabled, proceeding regardless of self-check failure.";
+        return true;
+        }
     return ok;
     }