diff --git a/src/osd/modules/render/drawsdl.cpp b/src/osd/modules/render/drawsdl.cpp
index ed3c73af73d..221ac79ef4d 100644
--- a/src/osd/modules/render/drawsdl.cpp
+++ b/src/osd/modules/render/drawsdl.cpp
@@ -444,6 +444,14 @@ int sdl_info::create()
 	else
 		m_sdl_renderer = SDL_CreateRenderer(window().sdl_window(), -1, SDL_RENDERER_ACCELERATED);
 
+	if (!m_sdl_renderer)
+	{
+		if (video_config.waitvsync)
+			m_sdl_renderer = SDL_CreateRenderer(window().sdl_window(), -1, SDL_RENDERER_PRESENTVSYNC | SDL_RENDERER_SOFTWARE);
+		else
+			m_sdl_renderer = SDL_CreateRenderer(window().sdl_window(), -1, SDL_RENDERER_SOFTWARE);
+	}
+
 	if (!m_sdl_renderer)
 	{
 		fatalerror("Error on creating renderer: %s\n", SDL_GetError());