diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 4f7a2da74..7b61e8a39 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Fix a regression in the previous release that broke ``goto_session -1``
 
+- Fix rendering broken on ancient GPU drivers that dont support rendering to 16 bit textures (:iss:`9068`)
+
 0.43.1 [2025-10-01]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/kitty/gl.c b/kitty/gl.c
index 1032d623e..61c26c1da 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.c
+++ b/kitty/gl.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ gl_init(void) {
     }
 }
 
-static const char*
+const char*
 check_framebuffer_status(void) {
     GLenum status = glCheckFramebufferStatus(GL_FRAMEBUFFER);
     switch (status) {
@@ -100,12 +100,6 @@ check_framebuffer_status(void) {
     }
 }
 
-void
-check_framebuffer_status_or_die(void) {
-    const char *err = check_framebuffer_status();
-    if (err != NULL) fatal("Framebuffer not complete with error: %s", err);
-}
-
 void
 free_texture(GLuint *tex_id) {
     glDeleteTextures(1, tex_id);
diff --git a/kitty/gl.h b/kitty/gl.h
index 3ae2f1453..783e80964 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.h
+++ b/kitty/gl.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void unbind_program(void);
 GLuint compile_shaders(GLenum shader_type, GLsizei count, const GLchar * const * string);
 void save_viewport_using_top_left_origin(GLsizei x, GLsizei y, GLsizei width, GLsizei height, GLsizei full_framebuffer_height);
 void save_viewport_using_bottom_left_origin(GLsizei x, GLsizei y, GLsizei width, GLsizei height);
-void check_framebuffer_status_or_die(void);
+const char* check_framebuffer_status(void);
 void restore_viewport(void);
 void bind_framebuffer_for_output(unsigned fbid);
 void set_framebuffer_to_use_for_output(unsigned fbid);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 6c04fd515..b6638b3b5 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -656,9 +656,28 @@ setup_texture_as_render_target(unsigned width, unsigned height, GLuint *texture_
     glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
     // We use GL_RGBA16 to avoid incorrect colors due to quantization loss when
     // blending, see https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/issues/8953
-    glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, GL_RGBA16, width, height, 0, GL_RGBA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, NULL);
+    static struct { bool ok; int fmt; } status = { false, GL_RGBA16};
+    glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, status.fmt, width, height, 0, GL_RGBA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, NULL);
     bind_framebuffer_for_output(*framebuffer_id);
     glFramebufferTexture2D(GL_FRAMEBUFFER, GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0, GL_TEXTURE_2D, *texture_id, 0);
+    if (!status.ok) {
+        if (check_framebuffer_status() == NULL) {
+            status.ok = true;
+        } else {
+            if (status.fmt == GL_RGBA16) {
+                // Driver does not support 16 bit FBO so let it choose the
+                // format. It will probably end up choosing 8 bit but
+                // inaccurate colors are better than completely broken rendering.
+                // See https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/issues/9068
+                status.fmt = GL_RGBA;
+                free_framebuffer(framebuffer_id);
+                free_texture(texture_id);
+                setup_texture_as_render_target(width, height, texture_id, framebuffer_id);
+            } else {
+                fatal("Your GPU driver does not support indirect rendering to a GL_RGBA texture via a framebuffer");
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 static void