diff --git a/lib/kwinglutils.cpp b/lib/kwinglutils.cpp
index 15f6fc7498..d4af4b7759 100644
--- a/lib/kwinglutils.cpp
+++ b/lib/kwinglutils.cpp
@@ -863,6 +863,13 @@ void GLShader::initStatic()
 #endif
 }
 
+GLShader::GLShader()
+    : mValid(false)
+    , mProgram(0)
+    , mTextureWidth(-1.0f)
+    , mTextureHeight(-1.0f)
+{
+}
 
 GLShader::GLShader(const QString& vertexfile, const QString& fragmentfile)
     {
@@ -1296,6 +1303,13 @@ GLShader *ShaderManager::loadFragmentShader(ShaderType vertex, const QString &fr
     return shader;
 }
 
+GLShader *ShaderManager::loadShaderFromCode(const QString &vertexSource, const QString &fragmentSource)
+{
+    GLShader *shader = new GLShader();
+    shader->load(vertexSource, fragmentSource);
+    return shader;
+}
+
 void ShaderManager::initShaders()
 {
     m_orthoShader = new GLShader(":/resources/scene-vertex.glsl", ":/resources/scene-fragment.glsl");
diff --git a/lib/kwinglutils.h b/lib/kwinglutils.h
index 9e11372bb0..4884a7e64d 100644
--- a/lib/kwinglutils.h
+++ b/lib/kwinglutils.h
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ class KWIN_EXPORT GLShader
 
 
     protected:
+        GLShader();
         bool loadFromFiles(const QString& vertexfile, const QString& fragmentfile);
         bool load(const QString& vertexsource, const QString& fragmentsource);
 
@@ -319,6 +320,7 @@ class KWIN_EXPORT GLShader
         static bool mVertexShaderSupported;
         float mTextureWidth;
         float mTextureHeight;
+        friend class ShaderManager;
     };
 
 /**
@@ -420,6 +422,14 @@ class KWIN_EXPORT ShaderManager
          * @return The created shader
          **/
         GLShader *loadFragmentShader(ShaderType vertex, const QString &fragmentFile);
+        /**
+         * Creates a GLShader with the specified sources.
+         * The difference to GLShader is that it does not need to be loaded from files.
+         * @param vertexSource The source code of the vertex shader
+         * @param fragmentSource The source code of the fragment shader.
+         * @return The created shader
+         **/
+        GLShader *loadShaderFromCode(const QString &vertexSource, const QString &fragmentSource);
 
         /**
          * @return a pointer to the ShaderManager instance