diff --git a/src/backend/kms/mod.rs b/src/backend/kms/mod.rs
index 6bc72613..279cacb7 100644
--- a/src/backend/kms/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/kms/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use smithay::{
             gbm::{GbmAllocator, GbmBufferFlags},
         },
         drm::{DrmDeviceFd, DrmNode, NodeType},
-        egl::{context::ContextPriority, EGLContext},
+        egl::{context::ContextPriority, EGLContext, EGLDevice, EGLDisplay},
         input::InputEvent,
         libinput::{LibinputInputBackend, LibinputSessionInterface},
         renderer::{glow::GlowRenderer, multigpu::GpuManager},
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ pub struct KmsState {
     pub drm_devices: HashMap<DrmNode, Device>,
     pub input_devices: HashMap<String, input::Device>,
     pub primary_node: Option<DrmNode>,
+    // Mesa llvmpipe renderer, if supported and there are no render nodes
+    pub software_renderer: Option<GlowRenderer>,
     pub api: GpuManager<GbmGlowBackend<DrmDeviceFd>>,
 
     session: LibSeatSession,
@@ -78,6 +80,18 @@ pub fn init_backend(
         info!("Using {} as primary gpu for rendering.", primary);
     }
 
+    let software_renderer = if primary.is_none() {
+        match software_renderer() {
+            Ok(renderer) => Some(renderer),
+            Err(err) => {
+                error!(?err, "Failed to initialize software EGL renderer.");
+                None
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
     // watch for gpu events
     let udev_dispatcher = init_udev(session.seat(), &event_loop.handle())
         .context("Failed to initialize udev connection")?;
@@ -107,6 +121,7 @@ pub fn init_backend(
         drm_devices: HashMap::new(),
         input_devices: HashMap::new(),
         primary_node: primary,
+        software_renderer,
         api: GpuManager::new(GbmGlowBackend::new()).context("Failed to initialize gpu backend")?,
 
         session,
@@ -193,6 +208,22 @@ fn determine_primary_gpu(seat: String) -> Option<DrmNode> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Create `GlowRenderer` for `EGL_MESA_device_software` device, if present
+fn software_renderer() -> anyhow::Result<GlowRenderer> {
+    let mut devices = EGLDevice::enumerate()?;
+    let device = devices
+        .find(|device| {
+            device
+                .extensions()
+                .iter()
+                .any(|ext| ext == "EGL_MESA_device_software")
+        })
+        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("no EGL device found with `EGL_MESA_device_software`"))?;
+    let display = unsafe { EGLDisplay::new(device)? };
+    let context = EGLContext::new(&display)?;
+    unsafe { Ok(GlowRenderer::new(context)?) }
+}
+
 fn init_udev(
     seat: String,
     evlh: &LoopHandle<'static, State>,
diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index 5fb0070c..58a5a886 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -389,23 +389,28 @@ impl BackendData {
     /// Get an offscreen renderer for screen capture / screenshot rendering
     ///
     /// `kms_node_cb` callback use used to determine nodes to render with when using kms backend.
-    /// Panics if this returns `None`.
+    /// If this returns `None`, it will attempt to use llvmpipe, then panic if no renderer is
+    /// found.
     pub fn offscreen_renderer<N: Into<KmsNodes>, F: FnOnce(&mut KmsState) -> Option<N>>(
         &mut self,
         kms_node_cb: F,
     ) -> Result<RendererRef, GlMultiError> {
         match self {
             BackendData::Kms(kms) => {
-                let KmsNodes {
-                    render_node,
-                    target_node,
-                    copy_format,
-                } = kms_node_cb(kms).expect("No Software Rendering").into();
-                Ok(RendererRef::GlMulti(kms.api.renderer(
-                    &render_node,
-                    &target_node,
-                    copy_format,
-                )?))
+                if let Some(nodes) = kms_node_cb(kms) {
+                    let nodes = nodes.into();
+                    Ok(RendererRef::GlMulti(kms.api.renderer(
+                        &nodes.render_node,
+                        &nodes.target_node,
+                        nodes.copy_format,
+                    )?))
+                } else {
+                    Ok(RendererRef::Glow(
+                        kms.software_renderer
+                            .as_mut()
+                            .expect("No Software Rendering"),
+                    ))
+                }
             }
             BackendData::Winit(winit) => Ok(RendererRef::Glow(winit.backend.renderer())),
             BackendData::X11(x11) => Ok(RendererRef::Glow(&mut x11.renderer)),