diff --git a/src/osd/modules/render/drawd3d.cpp b/src/osd/modules/render/drawd3d.cpp
index 4bc646408b3..03b7852f6d9 100644
--- a/src/osd/modules/render/drawd3d.cpp
+++ b/src/osd/modules/render/drawd3d.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public:
 	{
 	}
 
+	virtual bool probe() override;
 	virtual int init(osd_interface &osd, osd_options const &options) override;
 	virtual void exit() override;
 
@@ -67,6 +68,17 @@ private:
 };
 
 
+//============================================================
+//  video_d3d::probe
+//============================================================
+
+bool video_d3d::probe()
+{
+	// do a dry run of loading the Direct3D 9 DLL
+	return dynamic_module::open({ "d3d9.dll" })->bind<d3d9_create_fn>("Direct3DCreate9") != nullptr;
+}
+
+
 //============================================================
 //  video_d3d::init
 //============================================================