diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
index 85946d59843..b2b4ea9ae95 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ static TArray<FString>  m_Extensions;
 RenderContext gl;
 
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, gl_legacy_mode)
+extern int currentrenderer;
 
 //==========================================================================
 //
@@ -207,7 +208,8 @@ void gl_LoadExtensions()
 	
 		// The minimum requirement for the modern render path is GL 3.3.
 		// Although some GL 3.1 or 3.2 solutions may theoretically work they are usually too broken or too slow.
-		if (gl_version < 3.3f)
+		// unless, of course, we're simply using this as a software backend...
+		if ((gl_version < 3.3f && (currentrenderer==1)) || gl_version < 3.0f)
 		{
 			gl.legacyMode = true;
 			gl.lightmethod = LM_LEGACY;
diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
index 199dd2826d5..937778847f5 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ EXTERN_CVAR(Float, Gamma)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, vid_vsync)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Float, transsouls)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int, vid_refreshrate)
-EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, gl_legacy_mode)
 
 #ifdef WIN32
 extern cycle_t BlitCycles;
@@ -199,15 +198,6 @@ OpenGLSWFrameBuffer::OpenGLSWFrameBuffer(void *hMonitor, int width, int height,
 	const char *glversion = (const char*)glGetString(GL_VERSION);
 	bool isGLES = (glversion && strlen(glversion) > 10 && memcmp(glversion, "OpenGL ES ", 10) == 0);
 
-	UCVarValue value;
-	// GL 3.0 is mostly broken on MESA drivers which really are the only relevant case here that doesn't fulfill the requirements based on version number alone.
-#ifdef _WIN32
-	value.Bool = !ogl_IsVersionGEQ(3, 0);
-#else
-	value.Bool = !ogl_IsVersionGEQ(3, 1);
-#endif
-	gl_legacy_mode.ForceSet (value, CVAR_Bool);
-
 	if (!isGLES && ogl_IsVersionGEQ(3, 0) == 0)
 	{
 		Printf("OpenGL acceleration requires at least OpenGL 3.0. No Acceleration will be used.\n");
diff --git a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
index 1cd987f98aa..57fc52c5b14 100644
--- a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
+++ b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ void RenderPolyPlayerSprites::RenderSprite(PolyRenderThread *thread, DPSprite *p
 		sy += wy;
 	}
 
-	double yaspectMul = 1.2;// 320.0 * SCREENHEIGHT / (r_Yaspect * SCREENWIDTH);
+	double yaspectMul = 1.2 * ((double)SCREENHEIGHT / SCREENWIDTH) * r_viewwindow.WidescreenRatio;
 
 	double pspritexscale = viewwindow.centerxwide / 160.0;
 	double pspriteyscale = pspritexscale * yaspectMul;