diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_egl_client.c b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_egl_client.c
index 60bdcd726..384e862a2 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_egl_client.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_egl_client.c
@@ -417,10 +417,15 @@ client_egl_insert_fence(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t *o
 }
 
 static xrt_result_t
-client_egl_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_egl_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_egl_compositor *eglc = client_egl_compositor(xc);
 
+	//! @todo Handle this better, don't just assume that the context is current.
+	if (reason == CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_SYNCHRONIZE) {
+		return XRT_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
 	save_context(&eglc->previous);
 	struct client_egl_context *cur = &eglc->current;
 
@@ -431,10 +436,15 @@ client_egl_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 }
 
 static void
-client_egl_context_end(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_egl_context_end(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_egl_compositor *eglc = client_egl_compositor(xc);
 
+	//! @todo Handle this better, don't just assume that the context is current.
+	if (reason == CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_SYNCHRONIZE) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	restore_context(&eglc->previous);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.c b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.c
index 1bc5931d8..ae291afd4 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.c
@@ -386,10 +386,10 @@ client_gl_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_h
 
 	sync_handle = XRT_GRAPHICS_SYNC_HANDLE_INVALID;
 
-	xrt_result_t xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(xc);
+	xrt_result_t xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_SYNCHRONIZE);
 	if (xret == XRT_SUCCESS) {
 		sync_handle = handle_fencing_or_finish(c);
-		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_SYNCHRONIZE);
 	}
 
 	COMP_TRACE_IDENT(layer_commit);
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ client_gl_swapchain_create(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
 		return XRT_ERROR_SWAPCHAIN_FORMAT_UNSUPPORTED;
 	}
 
-	xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(xc);
+	xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 	if (xret != XRT_SUCCESS) {
 		return xret;
 	}
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ client_gl_swapchain_create(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
 		const char *version_str = (const char *)glGetString(GL_VERSION);
 		if (strstr(version_str, "OpenGL ES 2.") == version_str) {
 			U_LOG_E("Only one array layer is supported with OpenGL ES 2");
-			client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+			client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 			return XRT_ERROR_SWAPCHAIN_FLAG_VALID_BUT_UNSUPPORTED;
 		}
 	}
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ client_gl_swapchain_create(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
 	xret = xrt_comp_native_create_swapchain(c->xcn, &vkinfo, &xscn);
 
 	if (xret != XRT_SUCCESS) {
-		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 		return xret;
 	}
 	assert(xscn != NULL);
@@ -484,13 +484,13 @@ client_gl_swapchain_create(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
 	if (NULL == c->create_swapchain(xc, &xinfo, xscn, &sc)) {
 		// Drop our reference, does NULL checking.
 		xrt_swapchain_reference(&xsc, NULL);
-		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 		return XRT_ERROR_OPENGL;
 	}
 
 	if (sc == NULL) {
 		U_LOG_E("Could not create OpenGL swapchain.");
-		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+		client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 		return XRT_ERROR_OPENGL;
 	}
 
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ client_gl_swapchain_create(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
 
 	glBindTexture(tex_target, prev_texture);
 
-	client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc);
+	client_gl_compositor_context_end(xc, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 
 	*out_xsc = &sc->base.base;
 	return XRT_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.h b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.h
index 0c61c3025..205f59a73 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.h
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_client.h
@@ -52,6 +52,27 @@ struct client_gl_swapchain
 	struct client_gl_compositor *gl_compositor;
 };
 
+/*!
+ * What's the reason to make the context current, this is needed currently for
+ * EGL where we have to create a shared context in some cases. But when we
+ * want to synchronize (insert a fence or call glFinish) we can not use the
+ * shared context and must use the context that the app provided on creation.
+ */
+enum client_gl_context_reason
+{
+	/*!
+	 * Used when the compositor needs to insert a fence in the command
+	 * stream of the apps context, this needs to be done in the given
+	 * context and not the shared one that may be created.
+	 */
+	CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_SYNCHRONIZE,
+	/*!
+	 * Any other reason to make the context current,
+	 * the shared may be used by now.
+	 */
+	CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER,
+};
+
 /*!
  * Fetches the OpenGL context that is current on this thread and makes the
  * OpenGL context given in the graphics binding current instead. Only one thread
@@ -67,7 +88,8 @@ struct client_gl_swapchain
  * If the return value is not XRT_SUCCESS,
  * @ref client_gl_context_end_locked_func_t should not be called.
  */
-typedef xrt_result_t (*client_gl_context_begin_locked_func_t)(struct xrt_compositor *xc);
+typedef xrt_result_t (*client_gl_context_begin_locked_func_t)(struct xrt_compositor *xc,
+                                                              enum client_gl_context_reason reason);
 
 /*!
  * Makes the OpenGL context current that was current before
@@ -78,7 +100,7 @@ typedef xrt_result_t (*client_gl_context_begin_locked_func_t)(struct xrt_composi
  * not released by this function, but @ref client_gl_compositor_context_end does
  * release it.
  */
-typedef void (*client_gl_context_end_locked_func_t)(struct xrt_compositor *xc);
+typedef void (*client_gl_context_end_locked_func_t)(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason);
 
 /*!
  * The type of a swapchain create constructor.
@@ -207,13 +229,13 @@ client_gl_compositor_close(struct client_gl_compositor *c);
  * @public @memberof client_gl_compositor
  */
 static inline xrt_result_t
-client_gl_compositor_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_compositor_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_compositor *cgc = client_gl_compositor(xc);
 
 	os_mutex_lock(&cgc->context_mutex);
 
-	xrt_result_t xret = cgc->context_begin_locked(xc);
+	xrt_result_t xret = cgc->context_begin_locked(xc, reason);
 	if (xret != XRT_SUCCESS) {
 		os_mutex_unlock(&cgc->context_mutex);
 	}
@@ -229,11 +251,11 @@ client_gl_compositor_context_begin(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
  * @public @memberof client_gl_compositor
  */
 static inline void
-client_gl_compositor_context_end(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_compositor_context_end(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_compositor *cgc = client_gl_compositor(xc);
 
-	cgc->context_end_locked(xc);
+	cgc->context_end_locked(xc, reason);
 
 	os_mutex_unlock(&cgc->context_mutex);
 }
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_memobj_swapchain.c b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_memobj_swapchain.c
index 977e9d52f..d7b93f1c2 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_memobj_swapchain.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_memobj_swapchain.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ client_gl_memobj_swapchain_destroy(struct xrt_swapchain *xsc)
 	uint32_t image_count = sc->base.base.base.image_count;
 
 	struct client_gl_compositor *c = sc->base.gl_compositor;
-	enum xrt_result xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(&c->base.base);
+	enum xrt_result xret = client_gl_compositor_context_begin(&c->base.base, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 
 	if (image_count > 0) {
 		if (xret == XRT_SUCCESS) {
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ client_gl_memobj_swapchain_destroy(struct xrt_swapchain *xsc)
 	}
 
 	if (xret == XRT_SUCCESS) {
-		client_gl_compositor_context_end(&c->base.base);
+		client_gl_compositor_context_end(&c->base.base, CLIENT_GL_CONTEXT_REASON_OTHER);
 	}
 
 	// Drop our reference, does NULL checking.
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_win32_client.c b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_win32_client.c
index d28972ef8..a2c3598db 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_win32_client.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_win32_client.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ client_gl_win32_compositor_destroy(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 }
 
 static xrt_result_t
-client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_win32_compositor *c = client_gl_win32_compositor(xc);
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 }
 
 static void
-client_gl_context_end_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_context_end_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_win32_compositor *c = client_gl_win32_compositor(xc);
 
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_xlib_client.c b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_xlib_client.c
index cd85de67d..4540f4a7c 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_xlib_client.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/client/comp_gl_xlib_client.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ client_gl_xlib_compositor_destroy(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 }
 
 static xrt_result_t
-client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_xlib_compositor *c = client_gl_xlib_compositor(xc);
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ client_gl_context_begin_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 }
 
 static void
-client_gl_context_end_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
+client_gl_context_end_locked(struct xrt_compositor *xc, enum client_gl_context_reason reason)
 {
 	struct client_gl_xlib_compositor *c = client_gl_xlib_compositor(xc);