diff --git a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.I b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.I
index 1929746c14..9c0674bfd1 100644
--- a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.I
+++ b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.I
@@ -70,3 +70,49 @@ get_hidden_cursor() {
   }
   return _hidden_cursor;
 }
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: x11GraphicsPipe::disable_x_error_messages
+//       Access: Public, Static
+//  Description: Globally disables the printing of error messages that
+//               are raised by the X11 system, for instance in order
+//               to test whether a particular X11 operation will
+//               succeed.  Reenable error messages with a later call
+//               to enable_x_error_messages().
+//
+//               The return value is the current value of
+//               get_x_error_count().
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int x11GraphicsPipe::
+disable_x_error_messages() {
+  _x_error_messages_enabled = false;
+  return _x_error_count;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: x11GraphicsPipe::enable_x_error_messages
+//       Access: Public, Static
+//  Description: Reenables the printing of error messages after a
+//               previous call to disable_x_error_messages().
+//
+//               The return value is the current value of
+//               get_x_error_count().
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int x11GraphicsPipe::
+enable_x_error_messages() {
+  _x_error_messages_enabled = true;
+  return _x_error_count;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: x11GraphicsPipe::get_x_error_count
+//       Access: Public, Static
+//  Description: Returns the number of times an error indication has
+//               been raised by the X11 system since application
+//               start, including errors raised while error messages
+//               were disabled.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int x11GraphicsPipe::
+get_x_error_count() {
+  return _x_error_count;
+}
diff --git a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.cxx b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.cxx
index ab2b662fe2..887ed3cc62 100644
--- a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.cxx
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ TypeHandle x11GraphicsPipe::_type_handle;
 bool x11GraphicsPipe::_error_handlers_installed = false;
 x11GraphicsPipe::ErrorHandlerFunc *x11GraphicsPipe::_prev_error_handler;
 x11GraphicsPipe::IOErrorHandlerFunc *x11GraphicsPipe::_prev_io_error_handler;
+bool x11GraphicsPipe::_x_error_messages_enabled = true;
+int x11GraphicsPipe::_x_error_count = 0;
 
 LightReMutex x11GraphicsPipe::_x_mutex;
 
@@ -257,9 +259,20 @@ install_error_handlers() {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int x11GraphicsPipe::
 error_handler(Display *display, XErrorEvent *error) {
+  ++_x_error_count;
+
   static const int msg_len = 80;
   char msg[msg_len];
   XGetErrorText(display, error->error_code, msg, msg_len);
+
+  if (!_x_error_messages_enabled) {
+    if (x11display_cat.is_debug()) {
+      x11display_cat.debug()
+        << msg << "\n";
+    }
+    return 0;
+  }
+
   x11display_cat.error()
     << msg << "\n";
 
diff --git a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.h b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.h
index 343ab60033..f50c4b351d 100644
--- a/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.h
+++ b/panda/src/x11display/x11GraphicsPipe.h
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ public:
 
   INLINE Cursor get_hidden_cursor();
 
+  static INLINE int disable_x_error_messages();
+  static INLINE int enable_x_error_messages();
+  static INLINE int get_x_error_count();
+
 public:
   virtual PreferredWindowThread get_preferred_window_thread() const;
 
@@ -81,6 +85,9 @@ private:
   static bool _error_handlers_installed;
   static ErrorHandlerFunc *_prev_error_handler;
   static IOErrorHandlerFunc *_prev_io_error_handler;
+  
+  static bool _x_error_messages_enabled;
+  static int _x_error_count;
 
 public:
   // This Mutex protects any X library calls, which all have to be