diff --git a/tests/test_virgl_cmd.c b/tests/test_virgl_cmd.c
index 816e5dc..4a96dfc 100644
--- a/tests/test_virgl_cmd.c
+++ b/tests/test_virgl_cmd.c
@@ -1040,6 +1040,9 @@ int main(void)
   SRunner *sr;
   int number_failed;
 
+  if (getenv("VRENDTEST_USE_EGL_SURFACELESS"))
+     context_flags |= VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_SURFACELESS;
+
   s = virgl_init_suite();
   sr = srunner_create(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/test_virgl_init.c b/tests/test_virgl_init.c
index e777810..55763a3 100644
--- a/tests/test_virgl_init.c
+++ b/tests/test_virgl_init.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_egl)
 {
   int ret;
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
   virgl_renderer_cleanup(&mystruct);
 }
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_egl_create_ctx)
 {
   int ret;
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
   ret = virgl_renderer_context_create(1, strlen("test1"), "test1");
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_egl_create_ctx_0)
   int ret;
 
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
   ret = virgl_renderer_context_create(0, strlen("test1"), "test1");
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, EINVAL);
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_egl_destroy_ctx_illegal)
 {
   int ret;
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
 
   virgl_renderer_context_destroy(1);
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_get_caps_set0)
   uint32_t max_ver, max_size;
 
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
 
   virgl_renderer_get_cap_set(0, &max_ver, &max_size);
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_get_caps_set1)
   uint32_t max_ver, max_size;
   void *caps;
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
 
   virgl_renderer_get_cap_set(1, &max_ver, &max_size);
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_get_caps_null)
   uint32_t max_ver, max_size;
 
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
 
   virgl_renderer_get_cap_set(1, &max_ver, &max_size);
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ START_TEST(virgl_init_egl_create_ctx_create_attach_res_illegal_res)
   struct iovec iovs[1];
 
   test_cbs.version = 1;
-  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+  ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
   ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
 
   ret = virgl_renderer_resource_attach_iov(1, iovs, 1);
@@ -495,6 +495,9 @@ int main(void)
   SRunner *sr;
   int number_failed;
 
+  if (getenv("VRENDTEST_USE_EGL_SURFACELESS"))
+     context_flags |= VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_SURFACELESS;
+
   s = virgl_init_suite();
   sr = srunner_create(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/test_virgl_resource.c b/tests/test_virgl_resource.c
index 007bff2..ec69038 100644
--- a/tests/test_virgl_resource.c
+++ b/tests/test_virgl_resource.c
@@ -309,6 +309,9 @@ int main(void)
   SRunner *sr;
   int number_failed;
 
+  if (getenv("VRENDTEST_USE_EGL_SURFACELESS"))
+     context_flags |= VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_SURFACELESS;
+
   s = virgl_init_suite();
   sr = srunner_create(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/test_virgl_transfer.c b/tests/test_virgl_transfer.c
index 2bd2cc7..e4bf2f5 100644
--- a/tests/test_virgl_transfer.c
+++ b/tests/test_virgl_transfer.c
@@ -781,6 +781,9 @@ int main(void)
   SRunner *sr;
   int number_failed;
 
+  if (getenv("VRENDTEST_USE_EGL_SURFACELESS"))
+     context_flags |= VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_SURFACELESS;
+
   s = virgl_init_suite();
   sr = srunner_create(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/testvirgl.c b/tests/testvirgl.c
index aea386a..971f1fb 100644
--- a/tests/testvirgl.c
+++ b/tests/testvirgl.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 #include "virgl_hw.h"
 #include "virglrenderer.h"
 
+int context_flags = VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL;
+
 void testvirgl_init_simple_1d_resource(struct virgl_renderer_resource_create_args *res, int handle)
 {
     res->handle = handle;
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ int testvirgl_init_single_ctx(void)
 
     test_cbs.version = 1;
     test_cbs.write_fence = testvirgl_write_fence;
-    ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, VIRGL_RENDERER_USE_EGL, &test_cbs);
+    ret = virgl_renderer_init(&mystruct, context_flags, &test_cbs);
     ck_assert_int_eq(ret, 0);
     if (ret)
 	return ret;
diff --git a/tests/testvirgl.h b/tests/testvirgl.h
index 3baf724..108a5f8 100644
--- a/tests/testvirgl.h
+++ b/tests/testvirgl.h
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 
 #define VIRGL_MAX_CMDBUF_DWORDS (16*1024)
 
+extern int context_flags;
+
 struct virgl_cmd_buf {
     unsigned cdw;
     uint32_t *buf;