diff --git a/libweston/compositor-drm.c b/libweston/compositor-drm.c
index d045778..56e7e5d 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor-drm.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor-drm.c
@@ -1939,6 +1939,11 @@
 	}
 }
 
+enum drm_output_propose_state_mode {
+	DRM_OUTPUT_PROPOSE_STATE_MIXED, /**< mix renderer & planes */
+	DRM_OUTPUT_PROPOSE_STATE_RENDERER_ONLY, /**< only assign to renderer & cursor */
+};
+
 static struct weston_plane *
 drm_output_prepare_scanout_view(struct drm_output_state *output_state,
 				struct weston_view *ev)
@@ -3121,10 +3126,9 @@
 	struct wl_shm_buffer *shmbuf;
 	bool needs_update = false;
 
-	if (!plane)
-		return NULL;
+	assert(!b->cursors_are_broken);
 
-	if (b->cursors_are_broken)
+	if (!plane)
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (!plane->state_cur->complete)
@@ -3259,7 +3263,8 @@
 
 static struct drm_output_state *
 drm_output_propose_state(struct weston_output *output_base,
-			 struct drm_pending_state *pending_state)
+			 struct drm_pending_state *pending_state,
+			 enum drm_output_propose_state_mode mode)
 {
 	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(output_base);
 	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output->base.compositor);
@@ -3267,6 +3272,7 @@
 	struct weston_view *ev;
 	pixman_region32_t surface_overlap, renderer_region, occluded_region;
 	struct weston_plane *primary = &output_base->compositor->primary_plane;
+	bool planes_ok = (mode != DRM_OUTPUT_PROPOSE_STATE_RENDERER_ONLY);
 
 	assert(!output->state_last);
 	state = drm_output_state_duplicate(output->state_cur,
@@ -3339,13 +3345,16 @@
 			next_plane = primary;
 		pixman_region32_fini(&surface_overlap);
 
-		if (next_plane == NULL)
+		/* The cursor plane is 'special' in the sense that we can still
+		 * place it in the legacy API, and we gate that with a separate
+		 * cursors_are_broken flag. */
+		if (next_plane == NULL && !b->cursors_are_broken)
 			next_plane = drm_output_prepare_cursor_view(state, ev);
 
 		if (next_plane == NULL && !drm_view_is_opaque(ev))
 			next_plane = primary;
 
-		if (next_plane == NULL && b->sprites_are_broken)
+		if (next_plane == NULL && !planes_ok)
 			next_plane = primary;
 
 		if (next_plane == NULL)
@@ -3354,24 +3363,27 @@
 		if (next_plane == NULL)
 			next_plane = drm_output_prepare_overlay_view(state, ev);
 
-		if (next_plane == NULL)
-			next_plane = primary;
+		if (next_plane && next_plane != primary) {
+			/* If we have been assigned to an overlay or scanout
+			 * plane, add this area to the occluded region, so
+			 * other views are known to be behind it. The cursor
+			 * plane, however, is special, in that it blends with
+			 * the content underneath it: the area should neither
+			 * be added to the renderer region nor the occluded
+			 * region. */
+			if (!output->cursor_plane ||
+			    next_plane != &output->cursor_plane->base) {
+				pixman_region32_union(&occluded_region,
+						      &occluded_region,
+						      &clipped_view);
+				pixman_region32_fini(&clipped_view);
+			}
+			continue;
+		}
 
-		/* If we've been assigned to the 'primary' (renderer) plane,
-		 * add this to our renderer region. If we have been assigned
-		 * to the cursor plane, do nothing, as the cursor plane is
-		 * blended with content underneath it. If neither, we have
-		 * been assigned to an overlay plane, so add this view's
-		 * area to the occluded region. */
-		if (next_plane == primary)
-			pixman_region32_union(&renderer_region,
-					      &renderer_region,
-					      &clipped_view);
-		else if (!output->cursor_plane ||
-			 next_plane != &output->cursor_plane->base)
-			pixman_region32_union(&occluded_region,
-					      &occluded_region,
-					      &clipped_view);
+		pixman_region32_union(&renderer_region,
+				      &renderer_region,
+				      &clipped_view);
 		pixman_region32_fini(&clipped_view);
 	}
 	pixman_region32_fini(&renderer_region);
@@ -3386,12 +3398,20 @@
 	struct drm_backend *b = to_drm_backend(output_base->compositor);
 	struct drm_pending_state *pending_state = repaint_data;
 	struct drm_output *output = to_drm_output(output_base);
-	struct drm_output_state *state;
+	struct drm_output_state *state = NULL;
 	struct drm_plane_state *plane_state;
 	struct weston_view *ev;
 	struct weston_plane *primary = &output_base->compositor->primary_plane;
 
-	state = drm_output_propose_state(output_base, pending_state);
+	if (!b->sprites_are_broken)
+		state = drm_output_propose_state(output_base, pending_state,
+						 DRM_OUTPUT_PROPOSE_STATE_MIXED);
+
+	if (!state)
+		state = drm_output_propose_state(output_base, pending_state,
+						 DRM_OUTPUT_PROPOSE_STATE_RENDERER_ONLY);
+
+	assert(state);
 
 	wl_list_for_each(ev, &output_base->compositor->view_list, link) {
 		struct drm_plane *target_plane = NULL;