diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index bfa592d0..52e3bac2 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -1181,12 +1181,16 @@ struct weston_buffer {
 		WESTON_BUFFER_SHM,
 		WESTON_BUFFER_DMABUF,
 		WESTON_BUFFER_RENDERER_OPAQUE,
+		WESTON_BUFFER_SOLID,
 	} type;
 
 	union {
 		struct wl_shm_buffer *shm_buffer;
 		void *dmabuf;
 		void *legacy_buffer;
+		struct {
+			float r, g, b, a;
+		} solid;
 	};
 
 	int32_t width, height;
@@ -1768,6 +1772,13 @@ weston_surface_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor);
 struct weston_view *
 weston_view_create(struct weston_surface *surface);
 
+struct weston_buffer_reference *
+weston_buffer_create_solid_rgba(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
+				float r, float g, float b, float a);
+
+void
+weston_buffer_destroy_solid(struct weston_buffer_reference *buffer_ref);
+
 void
 weston_view_destroy(struct weston_view *view);
 
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index ce6b5266..bb41881b 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -2590,6 +2590,56 @@ weston_buffer_release_move(struct weston_buffer_release_reference *dest,
 	weston_buffer_release_reference(src, NULL);
 }
 
+WL_EXPORT struct weston_buffer_reference *
+weston_buffer_create_solid_rgba(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
+				float r, float g, float b, float a)
+{
+	struct weston_buffer_reference *ret = zalloc(sizeof(*ret));
+
+	if (!ret)
+		return NULL;
+
+	ret->buffer = zalloc(sizeof(*ret->buffer));
+	if (!ret->buffer) {
+		free(ret);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	wl_signal_init(&ret->buffer->destroy_signal);
+	ret->buffer->type = WESTON_BUFFER_SOLID;
+	ret->buffer->width = 1;
+	ret->buffer->height = 1;
+	ret->buffer->buffer_origin = ORIGIN_TOP_LEFT;
+	ret->buffer->solid.r = r;
+	ret->buffer->solid.g = g;
+	ret->buffer->solid.b = b;
+	ret->buffer->solid.a = a;
+
+	if (a == 1.0) {
+		ret->buffer->pixel_format =
+			pixel_format_get_info_shm(WL_SHM_FORMAT_XRGB8888);
+	} else {
+		ret->buffer->pixel_format =
+			pixel_format_get_info_shm(WL_SHM_FORMAT_ARGB8888);
+	}
+	ret->buffer->format_modifier = DRM_FORMAT_MOD_LINEAR;
+
+	weston_buffer_reference(ret, ret->buffer, BUFFER_MAY_BE_ACCESSED);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+WL_EXPORT void
+weston_buffer_destroy_solid(struct weston_buffer_reference *buffer_ref)
+{
+	assert(buffer_ref);
+	assert(buffer_ref->buffer);
+	assert(buffer_ref->type == BUFFER_MAY_BE_ACCESSED);
+	assert(buffer_ref->buffer->type == WESTON_BUFFER_SOLID);
+	weston_buffer_reference(buffer_ref, NULL, BUFFER_WILL_NOT_BE_ACCESSED);
+	free(buffer_ref);
+}
+
 static void
 weston_surface_attach(struct weston_surface *surface,
 		      struct weston_buffer *buffer)
@@ -7543,6 +7593,12 @@ debug_scene_view_print_buffer(FILE *fp, struct weston_view *view)
 	case WESTON_BUFFER_DMABUF:
 		fprintf(fp, "\t\tdmabuf buffer\n");
 		break;
+	case WESTON_BUFFER_SOLID:
+		fprintf(fp, "\t\tsolid-colour buffer\n");
+		fprintf(fp, "\t\t\t[R %f, G %f, B %f, A %f]\n",
+			buffer->solid.r, buffer->solid.g, buffer->solid.b,
+			buffer->solid.a);
+		break;
 	case WESTON_BUFFER_RENDERER_OPAQUE:
 		fprintf(fp, "\t\tEGL buffer:\n");
 		fprintf(fp, "\t\t\t[format may be inaccurate]\n");