diff --git a/src/video/SDL_video.c b/src/video/SDL_video.c
index 8008e6e8f..321eb2566 100644
--- a/src/video/SDL_video.c
+++ b/src/video/SDL_video.c
@@ -2941,8 +2941,8 @@ SDL_GL_ExtensionSupported(const char *extension)
 void
 SDL_GL_DeduceMaxSupportedESProfile(int* major, int* minor)
 {
-/* This function breaks games because OpenGL functions are being called before a context is current - see bug 3725 */
-#if 0
+/* THIS REQUIRES AN EXISTING GL CONTEXT THAT HAS BEEN MADE CURRENT. */
+/*  Please refer to https://bugzilla.libsdl.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3725 for discussion. */
 #if SDL_VIDEO_OPENGL || SDL_VIDEO_OPENGL_ES || SDL_VIDEO_OPENGL_ES2
 	/* XXX This is fragile; it will break in the event of release of
 	 * new versions of OpenGL ES.
@@ -2961,10 +2961,6 @@ SDL_GL_DeduceMaxSupportedESProfile(int* major, int* minor)
         *minor = 0;
     }
 #endif
-#else
-        *major = 2;
-        *minor = 0;
-#endif /* 0 */
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
index 9bbcb05db..05f83c8f6 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
@@ -331,9 +331,32 @@ X11_GL_InitExtensions(_THIS)
 {
     Display *display = ((SDL_VideoData *) _this->driverdata)->display;
     const int screen = DefaultScreen(display);
+    XVisualInfo *vinfo;
+    XSetWindowAttributes xattr;
+    Window w;
+    GLXContext context;
     const char *(*glXQueryExtensionsStringFunc) (Display *, int);
     const char *extensions;
 
+    vinfo = X11_GL_GetVisual(_this, display, screen);
+    if (!vinfo) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    xattr.background_pixel = 0;
+    xattr.border_pixel = 0;
+    xattr.colormap =
+        X11_XCreateColormap(display, RootWindow(display, screen), vinfo->visual,
+                        AllocNone);
+    w = X11_XCreateWindow(display, RootWindow(display, screen), 0, 0, 32, 32, 0,
+                      vinfo->depth, InputOutput, vinfo->visual,
+                      (CWBackPixel | CWBorderPixel | CWColormap), &xattr);
+    context = _this->gl_data->glXCreateContext(display, vinfo, NULL, True);
+    if (context) {
+        _this->gl_data->glXMakeCurrent(display, w, context);
+    }
+    X11_XFree(vinfo);
+
     glXQueryExtensionsStringFunc =
         (const char *(*)(Display *, int)) X11_GL_GetProcAddress(_this,
                                                                 "glXQueryExtensionsString");
@@ -391,10 +414,14 @@ X11_GL_InitExtensions(_THIS)
     
     /* Check for GLX_EXT_create_context_es2_profile */
     if (HasExtension("GLX_EXT_create_context_es2_profile", extensions)) {
-        SDL_GL_DeduceMaxSupportedESProfile(
-            &_this->gl_data->es_profile_max_supported_version.major,
-            &_this->gl_data->es_profile_max_supported_version.minor
-        );
+        /* this wants to call glGetString(), so it needs a context. */
+        /* !!! FIXME: it would be nice not to make a context here though! */
+        if (context) {
+            SDL_GL_DeduceMaxSupportedESProfile(
+                &_this->gl_data->es_profile_max_supported_version.major,
+                &_this->gl_data->es_profile_max_supported_version.minor
+            );
+        }
     }
 
     /* Check for GLX_ARB_context_flush_control */
@@ -411,6 +438,14 @@ X11_GL_InitExtensions(_THIS)
     if (HasExtension("GLX_ARB_create_context_no_error", extensions)) {
         _this->gl_data->HAS_GLX_ARB_create_context_no_error = SDL_TRUE;
     }
+
+    if (context) {
+        _this->gl_data->glXMakeCurrent(display, None, NULL);
+        _this->gl_data->glXDestroyContext(display, context);
+    }
+
+    X11_XDestroyWindow(display, w);
+    X11_PumpEvents(_this);
 }
 
 /* glXChooseVisual and glXChooseFBConfig have some small differences in