diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index a50a0bbf..2c1e8645 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ struct weston_output {
 	enum weston_hdcp_protection current_protection;
 	bool allow_protection;
 
-	void (*start_repaint_loop)(struct weston_output *output);
+	int (*start_repaint_loop)(struct weston_output *output);
 	int (*repaint)(struct weston_output *output,
 			pixman_region32_t *damage,
 			void *repaint_data);
@@ -1053,8 +1053,8 @@ struct weston_backend {
 	 *
 	 * @param repaint_data Data returned by repaint_begin
 	 */
-	void (*repaint_flush)(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
-			      void *repaint_data);
+	int (*repaint_flush)(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
+			     void *repaint_data);
 
 	/** Allocate a new output
 	 *
diff --git a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
index 07ae2643..d513010c 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-drm/drm.c
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ drm_waitvblank_pipe(struct drm_output *output)
 		return 0;
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 drm_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 {
 	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(output_base);
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ drm_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 	};
 
 	if (output->disable_pending || output->destroy_pending)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	if (!output->scanout_plane->state_cur->fb) {
 		/* We can't page flip if there's no mode set */
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ drm_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 			drm_output_update_msc(output, vbl.reply.sequence);
 			weston_output_finish_frame(output_base, &ts,
 						WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
-			return;
+			return 0;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -538,15 +538,18 @@ drm_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 	if (ret != 0) {
 		weston_log("applying repaint-start state failed: %s\n",
 			   strerror(errno));
+		if (ret == -EACCES)
+			return -1;
 		goto finish_frame;
 	}
 
-	return;
+	return 0;
 
 finish_frame:
 	/* if we cannot page-flip, immediately finish frame */
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output_base, NULL,
 				   WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -585,15 +588,21 @@ drm_repaint_begin(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
  * the update completes (see drm_output_update_complete), the output
  * state will be freed.
  */
-static void
+static int
 drm_repaint_flush(struct weston_compositor *compositor, void *repaint_data)
 {
 	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(compositor);
 	struct drm_pending_state *pending_state = repaint_data;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = drm_pending_state_apply(pending_state);
+	if (ret != 0)
+		weston_log("repaint-flush failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
-	drm_pending_state_apply(pending_state);
 	drm_debug(b, "[repaint] flushed pending_state %p\n", pending_state);
 	b->repaint_data = NULL;
+
+	return (ret == -EACCES) ? -1 : 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2928,11 +2937,13 @@ renderer_switch_binding(struct weston_keyboard *keyboard,
 	switch_to_gl_renderer(b);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 drm_virtual_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 {
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output_base, NULL,
 				   WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/libweston/backend-fbdev/fbdev.c b/libweston/backend-fbdev/fbdev.c
index bcda7d0e..ae289cc0 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-fbdev/fbdev.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-fbdev/fbdev.c
@@ -131,13 +131,15 @@ fbdev_output_get_head(struct fbdev_output *output)
 			    struct fbdev_head, base.output_link);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 fbdev_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct timespec ts;
 
 	weston_compositor_read_presentation_clock(output->compositor, &ts);
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output, &ts, WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c b/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
index 04c33d15..2d019ee5 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-headless/headless.c
@@ -80,13 +80,15 @@ to_headless_backend(struct weston_compositor *base)
 	return container_of(base->backend, struct headless_backend, base);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 headless_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct timespec ts;
 
 	weston_compositor_read_presentation_clock(output->compositor, &ts);
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output, &ts, WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c b/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
index 31af1096..109c20ba 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-rdp/rdp.c
@@ -382,13 +382,15 @@ rdp_peer_refresh_region(pixman_region32_t *region, freerdp_peer *peer)
 		rdp_peer_refresh_raw(region, output->shadow_surface, peer);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 rdp_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct timespec ts;
 
 	weston_compositor_read_presentation_clock(output->compositor, &ts);
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output, &ts, WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c b/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
index 729cbb71..dd4c1cca 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-wayland/wayland.c
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ wayland_output_update_gl_border(struct wayland_output *output)
 }
 #endif
 
-static void
+static int
 wayland_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 {
 	struct wayland_output *output = to_wayland_output(output_base);
@@ -503,6 +503,8 @@ wayland_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output_base)
 	wl_callback_add_listener(output->frame_cb, &frame_listener, output);
 	wl_surface_commit(output->parent.surface);
 	wl_display_flush(wb->parent.wl_display);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_EGL
diff --git a/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c b/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
index 854d053f..e6227737 100644
--- a/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
+++ b/libweston/backend-x11/x11.c
@@ -399,13 +399,15 @@ x11_input_destroy(struct x11_backend *b)
 	weston_seat_release(&b->core_seat);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 x11_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct timespec ts;
 
 	weston_compositor_read_presentation_clock(output->compositor, &ts);
 	weston_output_finish_frame(output, &ts, WP_PRESENTATION_FEEDBACK_INVALID);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 0baf6edb..deb2edd7 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -2790,17 +2790,19 @@ output_repaint_timer_handler(void *data)
 
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		if (compositor->backend->repaint_flush)
-			compositor->backend->repaint_flush(compositor,
-							   repaint_data);
+			ret = compositor->backend->repaint_flush(compositor,
+							 repaint_data);
 	} else {
+		if (compositor->backend->repaint_cancel)
+			compositor->backend->repaint_cancel(compositor,
+							    repaint_data);
+	}
+
+	if (ret != 0) {
 		wl_list_for_each(output, &compositor->output_list, link) {
 			if (output->repainted)
 				weston_output_schedule_repaint_reset(output);
 		}
-
-		if (compositor->backend->repaint_cancel)
-			compositor->backend->repaint_cancel(compositor,
-							    repaint_data);
 	}
 
 	wl_list_for_each(output, &compositor->output_list, link)
@@ -2887,11 +2889,14 @@ static void
 idle_repaint(void *data)
 {
 	struct weston_output *output = data;
+	int ret;
 
 	assert(output->repaint_status == REPAINT_BEGIN_FROM_IDLE);
 	output->repaint_status = REPAINT_AWAITING_COMPLETION;
 	output->idle_repaint_source = NULL;
-	output->start_repaint_loop(output);
+	ret = output->start_repaint_loop(output);
+	if (ret != 0)
+		weston_output_schedule_repaint_reset(output);
 }
 
 WL_EXPORT void
diff --git a/remoting/remoting-plugin.c b/remoting/remoting-plugin.c
index 7c9bbb11..753f206c 100644
--- a/remoting/remoting-plugin.c
+++ b/remoting/remoting-plugin.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ struct remoted_output {
 	void (*saved_destroy)(struct weston_output *output);
 	int (*saved_enable)(struct weston_output *output);
 	int (*saved_disable)(struct weston_output *output);
-	void (*saved_start_repaint_loop)(struct weston_output *output);
+	int (*saved_start_repaint_loop)(struct weston_output *output);
 
 	char *host;
 	int port;
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ remoting_output_destroy(struct weston_output *output)
 	free(remoted_output);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 remoting_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct remoted_output *remoted_output = lookup_remoted_output(output);
@@ -658,6 +658,8 @@ remoting_output_start_repaint_loop(struct weston_output *output)
 	msec = millihz_to_nsec(remoted_output->output->current_mode->refresh)
 			/ 1000000;
 	wl_event_source_timer_update(remoted_output->finish_frame_timer, msec);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int