diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
index 57f90d93..f7bfb28d 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ public:
 	~eGL();
 
 	int initEGLContext();
+	static bool isAvailable();
 
 	int createInputDMABufTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, int fd);
 	int createOutputDMABufTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, int fd);
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ private:
 	EGLContext context_ = EGL_NO_CONTEXT;
 	EGLSurface surface_ = EGL_NO_SURFACE;
 
+	static EGLDisplay probeDisplay();
 	int compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
 			  unsigned int shaderDataLen,
 			  Span<const std::string> shaderEnv);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
index c185bb7a..860f18dd 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
@@ -267,6 +267,50 @@ void eGL::createTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, void *data)
 	glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE);
 }
 
+EGLDisplay eGL::probeDisplay()
+{
+	EGLDisplay display;
+
+	if (!eglBindAPI(EGL_OPENGL_ES_API)) {
+		LOG(eGL, Info) << "API bind fail";
+		return EGL_NO_DISPLAY;
+	}
+
+	display = eglGetPlatformDisplay(EGL_PLATFORM_SURFACELESS_MESA,
+					 EGL_DEFAULT_DISPLAY,
+					 nullptr);
+
+	if (display == EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
+		LOG(eGL, Info) << "Unable to get EGL display";
+		return EGL_NO_DISPLAY;
+	}
+
+	if (eglInitialize(display, nullptr, nullptr) != EGL_TRUE) {
+		LOG(eGL, Error) << "eglInitialize fail";
+		return EGL_NO_DISPLAY;
+	}
+
+	return display;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Probe whether EGL surfaceless rendering is available
+ *
+ * Checks if an EGL surfaceless display can be obtained and initialised.
+ * The display is immediately terminated so that no resources are leaked.
+ *
+ * \return true if EGL surfaceless rendering is available, false otherwise
+ */
+bool eGL::isAvailable()
+{
+	EGLDisplay display = probeDisplay();
+	if (display == EGL_NO_DISPLAY)
+		return false;
+
+	eglTerminate(display);
+	return true;
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Initialise the EGL context
  *
@@ -297,21 +341,9 @@ int eGL::initEGLContext()
 	EGLint numConfigs;
 	EGLConfig config;
 
-	if (!eglBindAPI(EGL_OPENGL_ES_API)) {
-		LOG(eGL, Error) << "API bind fail";
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
-	display_ = eglGetPlatformDisplay(EGL_PLATFORM_SURFACELESS_MESA,
-					 EGL_DEFAULT_DISPLAY,
-					 nullptr);
+	display_ = probeDisplay();
 	if (display_ == EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
-		LOG(eGL, Error) << "Unable to get EGL display";
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
-	if (eglInitialize(display_, nullptr, nullptr) != EGL_TRUE) {
-		LOG(eGL, Error) << "eglInitialize fail";
+		LOG(eGL, Error) << "Unable to probe display";
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
index 781cf02f..ff8c3465 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
@@ -119,8 +119,14 @@ SoftwareIsp::SoftwareIsp(PipelineHandler *pipe, const CameraSensor *sensor,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!softISPMode || softISPMode == "gpu")
-		debayer_ = std::make_unique<DebayerEGL>(std::move(stats), cm);
+	if (!softISPMode || softISPMode == "gpu") {
+		if (eGL::isAvailable()) {
+			debayer_ = std::make_unique<DebayerEGL>(std::move(stats), cm);
+		} else {
+			LOG(SoftwareIsp, Info)
+				<< "EGL not available, falling back to CPU debayer";
+		}
+	}
 
 #endif
 	if (!debayer_)