diff --git a/src/gui/gui.cpp b/src/gui/gui.cpp
index 66e64e2fd..b9fc71043 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/gui.cpp
@@ -6994,10 +6994,6 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::init() {
     SDL_SetHint(SDL_HINT_RENDER_DRIVER,settings.renderDriver.c_str());
   }
 
-  if (safeMode) {
-    SDL_SetHint(SDL_HINT_RENDER_DRIVER,"software");
-  }
-
   logD("starting render backend...");
   if (!rend->init(sdlWin,settings.vsync)) {
     logE("it failed...");
diff --git a/src/gui/render.cpp b/src/gui/render.cpp
index 6e0b58246..d803ebbe3 100644
--- a/src/gui/render.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/render.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::initRender() {
   logV("requested backend: %s",settings.renderBackend);
 
   if (safeMode) {
-    renderBackend=GUI_BACKEND_SDL;
+    renderBackend=GUI_BACKEND_SOFTWARE;
   } else if (settings.renderBackend=="OpenGL" || settings.renderBackend=="OpenGL 3.0" || settings.renderBackend=="OpenGL ES 2.0") {
     renderBackend=GUI_BACKEND_GL3;
   } else if (settings.renderBackend=="OpenGL 2.0") {