--- a/gfx/layers/client/TextureClient.cpp
+++ b/gfx/layers/client/TextureClient.cpp
@@ -210,16 +210,19 @@ TextureClient::GetIPDLActor()
 {
   return mActor;
 }
 
 #ifdef MOZ_WIDGET_GONK
 static bool
 DisableGralloc(SurfaceFormat aFormat, const gfx::IntSize& aSizeHint)
 {
+  if (gfxPrefs::DisableGralloc()) {
+    return true;
+  }
   if (aFormat == gfx::SurfaceFormat::A8) {
     return true;
   }
 
 #if ANDROID_VERSION <= 15
   // Adreno 200 has a problem of drawing gralloc buffer width less than 64 and
   // drawing gralloc buffer with a height 9px-16px.
   // See Bug 983971.

--- a/gfx/thebes/gfxPrefs.h
+++ b/gfx/thebes/gfxPrefs.h
@@ -284,16 +284,17 @@ private:
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.offmainthreadcomposition.force-enabled", LayersOffMainThreadCompositionForceEnabled, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.offmainthreadcomposition.testing.enabled", LayersOffMainThreadCompositionTestingEnabled, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.use-image-offscreen-surfaces",   UseImageOffscreenSurfaces, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layers.orientation.sync.timeout",       OrientationSyncMillis, uint32_t, (uint32_t)0);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.prefer-d3d9",                    LayersPreferD3D9, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.prefer-opengl",                  LayersPreferOpenGL, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.progressive-paint",              UseProgressiveTilePainting, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.uniformity-info",                UniformityInfo, bool, false);
+  DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layers.gralloc.disable",                DisableGralloc, bool, false);
 
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layout.css.scroll-behavior.damping-ratio", ScrollBehaviorDampingRatio, float, 1.0f);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layout.css.scroll-behavior.enabled",    ScrollBehaviorEnabled, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layout.css.scroll-behavior.spring-constant", ScrollBehaviorSpringConstant, float, 250.0f);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layout.css.touch_action.enabled",       TouchActionEnabled, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Once, "layout.frame_rate",                     LayoutFrameRate, int32_t, -1);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layout.display-list.dump",              LayoutDumpDisplayList, bool, false);
   DECL_GFX_PREF(Live, "layout.event-regions.enabled",          LayoutEventRegionsEnabled, bool, false);

--- a/modules/libpref/init/all.js
+++ b/modules/libpref/init/all.js
@@ -3933,16 +3933,20 @@ pref("gfx.direct2d.force-enabled", false
 
 pref("layers.prefer-opengl", false);
 pref("layers.prefer-d3d9", false);
 #endif
 
 // Force all possible layers to be always active layers
 pref("layers.force-active", false);
 
+// Never use gralloc surfaces, even when they're available on this
+// platform and are the optimal surface type.
+pref("layers.gralloc.disable", false);
+
 // Enable/Disable the geolocation API for content
 pref("geo.enabled", true);
 
 // Enable/Disable the orientation API for content
 pref("device.sensors.enabled", true);
 
 // Enable/Disable the device storage API for content
 pref("device.storage.enabled", false);