diff --git a/include/SDL_hints.h b/include/SDL_hints.h
index 5c320dc29..6b3f4690e 100644
--- a/include/SDL_hints.h
+++ b/include/SDL_hints.h
@@ -1324,6 +1324,29 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define SDL_HINT_VIDEO_DOUBLE_BUFFER      "SDL_VIDEO_DOUBLE_BUFFER"
 
+/**
+ * \brief Determines whether SDL enforces that DRM master is required in order
+ *        to initialize the KMSDRM video backend.
+ *
+ * The DRM subsystem has a concept of a "DRM master" which is a DRM client that
+ * has the ability to set planes, set cursor, etc. When SDL is DRM master, it
+ * can draw to the screen using the SDL rendering APIs. Without DRM master, SDL
+ * is still able to process input and query attributes of attached displays,
+ * but it cannot change display state or draw to the screen directly.
+ *
+ * In some cases, it can be useful to have the KMSDRM backend even if it cannot
+ * be used for rendering. An app may want to use SDL for input processing while
+ * using another rendering API (such as an MMAL overlay on Raspberry Pi) or
+ * using its own code to render to DRM overlays that SDL doesn't support.
+ *
+ * This hint must be set before initializing the video subsystem.
+ *
+ * This variable can be set to the following values:
+ *    "0"       - SDL will allow usage of the KMSDRM backend without DRM master
+ *    "1"       - SDL Will require DRM master to use the KMSDRM backend (default)
+ */
+#define SDL_HINT_KMSDRM_REQUIRE_DRM_MASTER      "SDL_KMSDRM_REQUIRE_DRM_MASTER"
+
 /**
  *  \brief  A variable controlling what driver to use for OpenGL ES contexts.
  *
diff --git a/src/video/kmsdrm/SDL_kmsdrmvideo.c b/src/video/kmsdrm/SDL_kmsdrmvideo.c
index b0967d1af..b52b545cb 100644
--- a/src/video/kmsdrm/SDL_kmsdrmvideo.c
+++ b/src/video/kmsdrm/SDL_kmsdrmvideo.c
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ check_modestting(int devindex)
                         }
 
                         if (conn->connection == DRM_MODE_CONNECTED && conn->count_modes) {
+                            if (SDL_GetHintBoolean(SDL_HINT_KMSDRM_REQUIRE_DRM_MASTER, SDL_TRUE)) {
+                                /* Skip this device if we can't obtain DRM master */
+                                KMSDRM_drmSetMaster(drm_fd);
+                                if (KMSDRM_drmAuthMagic(drm_fd, 0) == -EACCES) {
+                                    continue;
+                                }
+                            }
+
                             available = SDL_TRUE;
                             break;
                         }
@@ -773,12 +781,6 @@ KMSDRM_GBMInit (_THIS, SDL_DisplayData *dispdata)
     /* Set the FD we just opened as current DRM master. */
     KMSDRM_drmSetMaster(viddata->drm_fd);
 
-    /* Check if we are the current DRM master. */
-    if (KMSDRM_drmAuthMagic(viddata->drm_fd, 0) == -EACCES) {
-        ret = SDL_SetError("DRM device is claimed by another program as master.");
-        return ret;
-    }
-
     /* Create the GBM device. */
     viddata->gbm_dev = KMSDRM_gbm_create_device(viddata->drm_fd);
     if (!viddata->gbm_dev) {