diff --git a/common/render_api.h b/common/render_api.h
index 9371a403..60461064 100644
--- a/common/render_api.h
+++ b/common/render_api.h
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ typedef enum
 	CONTEXT_TYPE_GL = 0, // compatibility profile
 	CONTEXT_TYPE_GLES_1_X,
 	CONTEXT_TYPE_GLES_2_X,
-	CONTEXT_TYPE_GL_CORE
+	CONTEXT_TYPE_GL_CORE,
+	CONTEXT_TYPE_SOFTWARE, // not a context by itself, just software renderer
 } gl_context_type_t;
 
 typedef enum
diff --git a/ref/null/r_context.c b/ref/null/r_context.c
index e97214d6..88a6a6d1 100644
--- a/ref/null/r_context.c
+++ b/ref/null/r_context.c
@@ -226,6 +226,9 @@ static void CL_DrawBeams( int fTrans, BEAM *beams )
 
 static intptr_t RefGetParm( int parm, int arg )
 {
+	if( parm == PARM_GL_CONTEXT_TYPE )
+		return CONTEXT_TYPE_SOFTWARE;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_context.c b/ref/soft/r_context.c
index 92a619b1..81f574cf 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_context.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_context.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ static intptr_t GL_RefGetParm( int parm, int arg )
 	case PARM_REBUILD_GAMMA:
 		return 0;
 	case PARM_GL_CONTEXT_TYPE:
-		return 0; // glConfig.context;
+		return CONTEXT_TYPE_SOFTWARE;
 	case PARM_GLES_WRAPPER:
 		return 0; // glConfig.wrapper;
 	case PARM_STENCIL_ACTIVE: