diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index b37a93bd..cd053d1a 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -2439,7 +2439,7 @@ weston_buffer_from_resource(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 			pixel_format_get_info_shm(wl_shm_buffer_get_format(shm));
 		buffer->format_modifier = DRM_FORMAT_MOD_LINEAR;
 
-		if (!buffer->pixel_format)
+		if (!buffer->pixel_format || buffer->pixel_format->hide_from_clients)
 			goto fail;
 	} else if ((dmabuf = linux_dmabuf_buffer_get(buffer->resource))) {
 		buffer->type = WESTON_BUFFER_DMABUF;
@@ -2451,7 +2451,7 @@ weston_buffer_from_resource(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 			pixel_format_get_info(dmabuf->attributes.format);
 		/* dmabuf import should assure we don't create a buffer with an
 		 * unknown format */
-		assert(buffer->pixel_format);
+		assert(buffer->pixel_format && !buffer->pixel_format->hide_from_clients);
 		buffer->format_modifier = dmabuf->attributes.modifier[0];
 		if (dmabuf->attributes.flags & ZWP_LINUX_BUFFER_PARAMS_V1_FLAGS_Y_INVERT)
 			buffer->buffer_origin = ORIGIN_BOTTOM_LEFT;
diff --git a/libweston/pixel-formats.h b/libweston/pixel-formats.h
index c14a3ed4..bbd1bff8 100644
--- a/libweston/pixel-formats.h
+++ b/libweston/pixel-formats.h
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ struct pixel_format_info {
 	/** The DRM format name without the DRM_FORMAT_ prefix. */
 	const char *drm_format_name;
 
+	/** If true, is only for internal use and should not be advertised to
+	 * clients to allow them to create buffers of this format. */
+	bool hide_from_clients;
+
 	/** If non-zero, number of planes in base (non-modified) format. */
 	int num_planes;
 
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
index 2eeefcbb..31bb74ac 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
@@ -2796,7 +2796,10 @@ populate_supported_formats(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 		return 0;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < num_formats; i++) {
-		if (!pixel_format_get_info(formats[i]))
+		const struct pixel_format_info *info =
+			pixel_format_get_info(formats[i]);
+
+		if (!info || info->hide_from_clients)
 			continue;
 
 		fmt = weston_drm_format_array_add_format(supported_formats,