diff --git a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.c b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.c
index 57e4fb40e3579..c438bfdf021a9 100644
--- a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.c
+++ b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.c
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ int check_cu(const struct ra_hwdec *hw, CUresult err, const char *func)
 
 #define CHECK_CU(x) check_cu(hw, (x), #x)
 
-static const cuda_interop_init interop_inits[] = {
+static const cuda_interop_fn *interop_fns[] = {
 #if HAVE_GL
-    cuda_gl_init,
+    &(static cuda_interop_fn) {.check = cuda_gl_check, .init = cuda_gl_init},
 #endif
 #if HAVE_VULKAN
-    cuda_vk_init,
+    &(static cuda_interop_fn) {.check = cuda_gl_check, .init = cuda_gl_init},
 #endif
     NULL
 };
@@ -75,23 +75,42 @@ static int cuda_init(struct ra_hwdec *hw)
     struct cuda_hw_priv *p = hw->priv;
     CudaFunctions *cu;
     int level = hw->probing ? MSGL_V : MSGL_ERR;
+    bool initialized = false;
+
+    inline int backend_init(void)
+    {
+        ret = cuda_load_functions(&p->cu, NULL);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            MP_MSG(hw, level, "Failed to load CUDA symbols\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
+        cu = p->cu;
 
-    ret = cuda_load_functions(&p->cu, NULL);
-    if (ret != 0) {
-        MP_MSG(hw, level, "Failed to load CUDA symbols\n");
-        return -1;
-    }
-    cu = p->cu;
+        ret = CHECK_CU(cu->cuInit(0));
+        if (ret < 0)
+            ret = -1;
 
-    ret = CHECK_CU(cu->cuInit(0));
-    if (ret < 0)
-        return -1;
+        return ret;
+    }
 
     // Initialise CUDA context from backend.
-    for (int i = 0; interop_inits[i]; i++) {
-        if (interop_inits[i](hw)) {
-            break;
+    // Note that the interop check doesn't require the CUDA backend to be initialized.
+    // This is important because cuInit wakes up the dgpu (even if the cuda hwdec won't be used!)
+    // Doing this allows us to check if CUDA should be used without waking up the dgpu, avoiding
+    // a few seconds of delay and improving battery life for laptops!
+    for (int i = 0; interop_fns[i]; i++) {
+        if (!interop_fns[i]->check(hw))
+            continue;
+
+        if (!initialized) {
+            ret = backend_init();
+            if (ret < 0)
+                break;
+            initialized = true;
         }
+
+        if (interop_fns[i]->init(hw))
+            break;
     }
 
     if (!p->ext_init || !p->ext_uninit) {
diff --git a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.h b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.h
index 9c55053d59334..8c82860164e12 100644
--- a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.h
+++ b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda.h
@@ -50,10 +50,17 @@ struct cuda_mapper_priv {
     void *ext[4];
 };
 
-typedef bool (*cuda_interop_init)(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
+typedef struct cuda_interop_fn {
+    bool (*check)(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
+    bool (*init)(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
+} cuda_interop_fn;
+
+bool cuda_gl_check(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
 
 bool cuda_gl_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
 
+bool cuda_vk_check(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
+
 bool cuda_vk_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw);
 
 int check_cu(const struct ra_hwdec *hw, CUresult err, const char *func);
diff --git a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_gl.c b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_gl.c
index f20540ed4d3cd..17b9d992c3af2 100644
--- a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_gl.c
+++ b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_gl.c
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ static void cuda_ext_gl_uninit(const struct ra_hwdec_mapper *mapper, int n)
 #undef CHECK_CU
 #define CHECK_CU(x) check_cu(hw, (x), #x)
 
+bool cuda_gl_check(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
+    if (ra_is_gl(hw->ra_ctx->ra)) {
+        GL *gl = ra_gl_get(hw->ra_ctx->ra);
+        if (gl->version < 210 && gl->es < 300) {
+            MP_VERBOSE(hw, "need OpenGL >= 2.1 or OpenGL-ES >= 3.0\n");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+    // This is not an OpenGL RA.
+    return false;
+}
+
 bool cuda_gl_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
     int ret = 0;
     struct cuda_hw_priv *p = hw->priv;
diff --git a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_vk.c b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_vk.c
index b9f8caa8150d0..69d8bf4f1247a 100644
--- a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_vk.c
+++ b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_cuda_vk.c
@@ -272,13 +272,9 @@ static bool cuda_ext_vk_signal(const struct ra_hwdec_mapper *mapper, int n)
 #undef CHECK_CU
 #define CHECK_CU(x) check_cu(hw, (x), #x)
 
-bool cuda_vk_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
-    int ret = 0;
-    int level = hw->probing ? MSGL_V : MSGL_ERR;
-    struct cuda_hw_priv *p = hw->priv;
-    CudaFunctions *cu = p->cu;
-
+bool cuda_vk_check(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
     pl_gpu gpu = ra_pl_get(hw->ra_ctx->ra);
+
     if (gpu != NULL) {
         if (!(gpu->export_caps.tex & HANDLE_TYPE)) {
             MP_VERBOSE(hw, "CUDA hwdec with Vulkan requires exportable texture memory of type 0x%X.\n",
@@ -289,10 +285,17 @@ bool cuda_vk_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
                        HANDLE_TYPE);
             return false;
         }
-    } else {
-        // This is not a Vulkan RA.
-        return false;
     }
+    // This is not a Vulkan RA.
+    return false;
+}
+
+bool cuda_vk_init(const struct ra_hwdec *hw) {
+    int ret = 0;
+    int level = hw->probing ? MSGL_V : MSGL_ERR;
+    struct cuda_hw_priv *p = hw->priv;
+    CudaFunctions *cu = p->cu;
+    pl_gpu gpu = ra_pl_get(hw->ra_ctx->ra);
 
     if (!cu->cuImportExternalMemory) {
         MP_MSG(hw, level, "CUDA hwdec with Vulkan requires driver version 410.48 or newer.\n");