diff --git a/runelite-client/pom.xml b/runelite-client/pom.xml
index 4383ed6b26..247802e226 100644
--- a/runelite-client/pom.xml
+++ b/runelite-client/pom.xml
@@ -143,6 +143,12 @@
 			<artifactId>jogl-rl</artifactId>
 			<version>2.4.0-rc-20220318</version>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>net.runelite.jogl</groupId>
+			<artifactId>jogl-gldesktop-dbg</artifactId>
+			<version>2.4.0-rc-20220318</version>
+			<optional>true</optional>
+		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>net.runelite.jogl</groupId>
 			<artifactId>jogl-rl</artifactId>
diff --git a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/gpu/GpuPlugin.java b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/gpu/GpuPlugin.java
index 12034c7875..9f80cf6023 100644
--- a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/gpu/GpuPlugin.java
+++ b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/gpu/GpuPlugin.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import com.jogamp.nativewindow.AbstractGraphicsConfiguration;
 import com.jogamp.nativewindow.NativeWindowFactory;
 import com.jogamp.nativewindow.awt.AWTGraphicsConfiguration;
 import com.jogamp.nativewindow.awt.JAWTWindow;
+import com.jogamp.opengl.DebugGL4;
 import com.jogamp.opengl.GL;
 import static com.jogamp.opengl.GL.GL_ARRAY_BUFFER;
 import static com.jogamp.opengl.GL.GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW;
@@ -418,10 +419,17 @@ public class GpuPlugin extends Plugin implements DrawCallbacks
 
 					this.gl = glContext.getGL().getGL4();
 
-					setupSyncMode();
-
 					if (log.isDebugEnabled())
 					{
+						try
+						{
+							gl = new DebugGL4(gl);
+						}
+						catch (NoClassDefFoundError ex)
+						{
+							log.debug("Disabling DebugGL due to jogl-gldesktop-dbg not being present on the classpath");
+						}
+
 						gl.glEnable(gl.GL_DEBUG_OUTPUT);
 
 						//	GLDebugEvent[ id 0x20071
@@ -441,6 +449,8 @@ public class GpuPlugin extends Plugin implements DrawCallbacks
 							gl.GL_DONT_CARE, 1, new int[]{0x20052}, 0, false);
 					}
 
+					setupSyncMode();
+
 					initVao();
 					try
 					{