diff --git a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.cxx b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.cxx
index 7f6f47384b..e128afb7e0 100644
--- a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.cxx
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ bool dx_force_16bpp_zbuffer = config_wdxdisplay.GetBool("dx-force-16bpp-zbuffer"
 bool bResponsive_minimized_fullscreen_window = config_wdxdisplay.GetBool("responsive-minimized-fullscreen-window",false);
 bool dx_preserve_fpu_state = config_wdxdisplay.GetBool("dx-preserve-fpu-state", false);
 
+// if true, use ddraw's GetAvailVidMem to fail if driver says it has too little video mem
+bool dx_do_vidmemsize_check = config_wdxdisplay.GetBool("do-vidmemsize-check", true);
+
 // For now, set this true to use the IME correctly on Win2000, or
 // false on Win98.  This is temporary; once we have been able to
 // verify that this distinction is actually necessary, we can replace
diff --git a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.h b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.h
index 6318005a4c..373d13e7be 100644
--- a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.h
+++ b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/config_wdxdisplay.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ NotifyCategoryDecl(wdxdisplay, EXPCL_PANDADX, EXPTP_PANDADX);
 extern bool bResponsive_minimized_fullscreen_window;
 extern bool dx_force_16bpp_zbuffer;
 extern bool dx_preserve_fpu_state;
+extern bool dx_do_vidmemsize_check;
 extern Filename get_icon_filename();
 extern Filename get_mono_cursor_filename();
 extern Filename get_color_cursor_filename();
diff --git a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/wdxGraphicsWindow.cxx b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/wdxGraphicsWindow.cxx
index 7890e225b6..ef94c5c525 100644
--- a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/wdxGraphicsWindow.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/wdxGraphicsWindow.cxx
@@ -1756,6 +1756,11 @@ bool wdxGraphicsWindow::search_for_device(int devnum,DXDeviceInfo *pDevinfo) {
     // assume buggy drivers (this means you, FireGL2) may return zero for dwVidMemTotal, so ignore value if its < CRAPPY_DRIVER_IS_LYING_VIDMEMTHRESHOLD
     _dxgsg->scrn.bIsLowVidMemCard = ((dwVidMemTotal>CRAPPY_DRIVER_IS_LYING_VIDMEMTHRESHOLD) && (dwVidMemTotal< LOWVIDMEMTHRESHOLD));   
 
+    if(!dx_do_vidmemsize_check) {
+       _dxgsg->scrn.MaxAvailVidMem = 0xFFFFFFFF;
+       _dxgsg->scrn.bIsLowVidMemCard = false; 
+    }
+
     if(DeviceIdx==SWRASTIDX) {
         // this will force 640x480x16, is this what we want for all sw rast?
         _dxgsg->scrn.bIsLowVidMemCard = true;