diff --git a/glava.c b/glava.c
index 059c20b..3404faf 100644
--- a/glava.c
+++ b/glava.c
@@ -279,10 +279,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         }
         pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio.mutex);
         
-        /* Only render if needed (ie. stop rendering when fullscreen windows are focused) */
-        if (xwin_should_render(r)) {
-            rd_update(r, lb, rb, r->bufsize_request, modified);
-        } else {
+        if (!rd_update(r, lb, rb, r->bufsize_request, modified)) {
             /* Sleep for 50ms and then attempt to render again */
             struct timespec tv = {
                 .tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 50 * 1000000
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 83d439a..cc58538 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ struct gl_data {
     double tcounter;
     int fcounter, ucounter, kcounter;
     bool print_fps, avg_window, interpolate, force_geometry, copy_desktop,
-        smooth_pass, premultiply_alpha;
+        smooth_pass, premultiply_alpha, check_fullscreen;
     void** t_data;
     float gravity_step, target_spu, fr, ur, smooth_distance, smooth_ratio,
         smooth_factor, fft_scale, fft_cutoff;
@@ -721,6 +721,7 @@ struct renderer* rd_new(const char** paths, const char* entry,
         .sm_prog           = 0,
         .copy_desktop      = true,
         .premultiply_alpha = true,
+        .check_fullscreen  = true,
         .smooth_pass       = true,
         .fft_scale         = 10.2F,
         .fft_cutoff        = 0.3F,
@@ -823,6 +824,10 @@ struct renderer* rd_new(const char** paths, const char* entry,
             .name = "setmirror", .fmt = "b",
             .handler = RHANDLER(name, args, { r->mirror_input = *(bool*) args[0]; })
         },
+        {
+            .name = "setfullscreencheck", .fmt = "b",
+            .handler = RHANDLER(name, args, { gl->check_fullscreen = *(bool*) args[0]; })
+        },
         {
             .name = "setbg", .fmt = "s",
             .handler = RHANDLER(name, args, {
@@ -1276,13 +1281,17 @@ void rd_time(struct renderer* r) {
     gl->wcb->set_time(gl->w, 0.0D); /* reset time for measuring this frame */
 }
 
-void rd_update(struct renderer* r, float* lb, float* rb, size_t bsz, bool modified) {
+bool rd_update(struct renderer* r, float* lb, float* rb, size_t bsz, bool modified) {
     struct gl_data* gl = r->gl;
     size_t t, a, fbsz = bsz * sizeof(float);
     
     r->alive = !gl->wcb->should_close(gl->w);
     if (!r->alive)
-        return;
+        return true;
+    
+    /* Stop rendering when fullscreen windows are focused */
+    if (gl->check_fullscreen && !xwin_should_render(r))
+        return false;
 
     /* Force disable interpolation if the update rate is close to or higher than the frame rate */
     float uratio = (gl->ur / gl->fr); /* update : framerate ratio */
@@ -1628,6 +1637,8 @@ void rd_update(struct renderer* r, float* lb, float* rb, size_t bsz, bool modifi
 
     /* Restore interpolation settings */
     gl->interpolate = old_interpolate;
+    
+    return true;
 }
 
 void*          rd_get_impl_window (struct renderer* r)  { return r->gl->w;   }
diff --git a/render.h b/render.h
index 55d3f58..3bca309 100644
--- a/render.h
+++ b/render.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ typedef struct renderer {
 
 struct renderer* rd_new            (const char** paths, const char* entry,
                                     const char* force_mod, const char* force_backend);
-void             rd_update         (struct renderer*, float* lb, float* rb,
+bool             rd_update         (struct renderer*, float* lb, float* rb,
                                     size_t bsz, bool modified);
 void             rd_destroy        (struct renderer*);
 void             rd_time           (struct renderer*);
diff --git a/shaders/rc.glsl b/shaders/rc.glsl
index 4362aea..417244c 100644
--- a/shaders/rc.glsl
+++ b/shaders/rc.glsl
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@
    simple set to zero (or lower) to disable the frame limiter. */
 #request setframerate 0
 
+/* Enable/disable fullscreen checks. This looks at the currently
+   focused window and halts GLava's rendering if it is
+   fullscreen. This prevents rendering from interfering with
+   other graphically intensive tasks. */
+#request setfullscreencheck true
+
 /* Enable/disable printing framerate every second. 'FPS' stands
    for 'Frames Per Second', and 'UPS' stands for 'Updates Per
    Second'. Updates are performed when new data is submitted