diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 2b57a20511..cabdbaab11 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -413,6 +413,11 @@ KWIN_EXPORT int kdemain(int argc, char * argv[])
     mallopt(M_TRIM_THRESHOLD, 5*pagesize);
 #endif // M_TRIM_THRESHOLD
 
+    const QByteArray loopName = qgetenv("QSG_RENDER_LOOP");
+    if (loopName.isEmpty()) {
+        setenv("QSG_RENDER_LOOP", "basic", 1);
+    }
+
     KLocalizedString::setApplicationDomain("kwin");
     QLoggingCategory::setFilterRules(QStringLiteral("aurorae.debug = true\n") +
                                      QStringLiteral("kwineffects.debug = true"));