diff --git a/include/SDL_video.h b/include/SDL_video.h
index 48d00cf40..8e6d317a6 100644
--- a/include/SDL_video.h
+++ b/include/SDL_video.h
@@ -248,7 +248,8 @@ typedef enum
     SDL_GL_FRAMEBUFFER_SRGB_CAPABLE,
     SDL_GL_CONTEXT_RELEASE_BEHAVIOR,
     SDL_GL_CONTEXT_RESET_NOTIFICATION,
-    SDL_GL_CONTEXT_NO_ERROR
+    SDL_GL_CONTEXT_NO_ERROR,
+    SDL_GL_FLOATBUFFERS
 } SDL_GLattr;
 
 typedef enum
diff --git a/src/video/SDL_sysvideo.h b/src/video/SDL_sysvideo.h
index fdaf1adf1..6bfb60e92 100644
--- a/src/video/SDL_sysvideo.h
+++ b/src/video/SDL_sysvideo.h
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ struct SDL_VideoDevice
         int stereo;
         int multisamplebuffers;
         int multisamplesamples;
+        int floatbuffers;
         int accelerated;
         int major_version;
         int minor_version;
diff --git a/src/video/SDL_video.c b/src/video/SDL_video.c
index 2ce99c921..986854345 100644
--- a/src/video/SDL_video.c
+++ b/src/video/SDL_video.c
@@ -3519,6 +3519,7 @@ SDL_GL_ResetAttributes()
     _this->gl_config.stereo = 0;
     _this->gl_config.multisamplebuffers = 0;
     _this->gl_config.multisamplesamples = 0;
+    _this->gl_config.floatbuffers = 0;
     _this->gl_config.retained_backing = 1;
     _this->gl_config.accelerated = -1;  /* accelerated or not, both are fine */
 
@@ -3607,6 +3608,9 @@ SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GLattr attr, int value)
     case SDL_GL_MULTISAMPLESAMPLES:
         _this->gl_config.multisamplesamples = value;
         break;
+    case SDL_GL_FLOATBUFFERS:
+        _this->gl_config.floatbuffers = value;
+        break;
     case SDL_GL_ACCELERATED_VISUAL:
         _this->gl_config.accelerated = value;
         break;
diff --git a/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaopengl.m b/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaopengl.m
index 5a57612b2..5b41b1822 100644
--- a/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaopengl.m
+++ b/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaopengl.m
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ Cocoa_GL_CreateContext(_THIS, SDL_Window * window)
         attr[i++] = _this->gl_config.multisamplesamples;
         attr[i++] = NSOpenGLPFANoRecovery;
     }
+    if (_this->gl_config.floatbuffers) {
+        attr[i++] = NSOpenGLPFAColorFloat;
+    }
 
     if (_this->gl_config.accelerated >= 0) {
         if (_this->gl_config.accelerated) {
diff --git a/src/video/windows/SDL_windowsopengl.c b/src/video/windows/SDL_windowsopengl.c
index 549b01bb1..1f81917f3 100644
--- a/src/video/windows/SDL_windowsopengl.c
+++ b/src/video/windows/SDL_windowsopengl.c
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@
 #define WGL_FRAMEBUFFER_SRGB_CAPABLE_ARB                0x20A9
 #endif
 
+#ifndef WGL_ARB_pixel_format_float
+#define WGL_ARB_pixel_format_float
+#define WGL_TYPE_RGBA_FLOAT_ARB                         0x21A0
+#endif
+
 #ifndef WGL_ARB_context_flush_control
 #define WGL_ARB_context_flush_control
 #define WGL_CONTEXT_RELEASE_BEHAVIOR_ARB   0x2097
@@ -597,6 +602,10 @@ WIN_GL_SetupWindowInternal(_THIS, SDL_Window * window)
         *iAttr++ = _this->gl_config.multisamplesamples;
     }
 
+    if (_this->gl_config.floatbuffers) {
+        *iAttr++ = WGL_TYPE_RGBA_FLOAT_ARB;
+    }
+
     if (_this->gl_config.framebuffer_srgb_capable) {
         *iAttr++ = WGL_FRAMEBUFFER_SRGB_CAPABLE_ARB;
         *iAttr++ = _this->gl_config.framebuffer_srgb_capable;
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
index 3e17e97ff..60b2203cd 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11opengl.c
@@ -118,6 +118,16 @@ typedef GLXContext(*PFNGLXCREATECONTEXTATTRIBSARBPROC) (Display * dpy,
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#ifndef GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float
+#define GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float
+#ifndef GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_TYPE_ARB
+#define GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_TYPE_ARB                         0x20B9
+#endif
+#ifndef GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_BIT_ARB
+#define GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_BIT_ARB                         0x00000004
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #ifndef GLX_ARB_create_context_no_error
 #define GLX_ARB_create_context_no_error
 #ifndef GLX_CONTEXT_OPENGL_NO_ERROR_ARB
@@ -492,7 +502,11 @@ X11_GL_GetAttributes(_THIS, Display * display, int screen, int * attribs, int si
     /* Setup our GLX attributes according to the gl_config. */
     if( for_FBConfig ) {
         attribs[i++] = GLX_RENDER_TYPE;
-        attribs[i++] = GLX_RGBA_BIT;
+        if (_this->gl_config.floatbuffers) {
+            attribs[i++] = GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_BIT_ARB;
+        } else {
+            attribs[i++] = GLX_RGBA_BIT;
+        }
     } else {
         attribs[i++] = GLX_RGBA;
     }
@@ -560,6 +574,10 @@ X11_GL_GetAttributes(_THIS, Display * display, int screen, int * attribs, int si
         attribs[i++] = _this->gl_config.multisamplesamples;
     }
 
+    if (_this->gl_config.floatbuffers) {
+        attribs[i++] = GLX_RGBA_FLOAT_TYPE_ARB;
+    }
+
     if (_this->gl_config.framebuffer_srgb_capable) {
         attribs[i++] = GLX_FRAMEBUFFER_SRGB_CAPABLE_ARB;
         attribs[i++] = True;  /* always needed, for_FBConfig or not! */