diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
index 109d2f873d..ade5796afc 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Elm_Config *_elm_config = NULL;
 char *_elm_profile = NULL;
 static Eet_Data_Descriptor *_config_edd = NULL;
 static Eet_Data_Descriptor *_config_font_overlay_edd = NULL;
+const char *_elm_preferred_engine = NULL;
 
 static Ecore_Poller *_elm_cache_flush_poller = NULL;
 
@@ -1419,7 +1420,6 @@ elm_config_all_flush(void)
 #endif
 }
 
-
 static void
 _translation_init()
 {
@@ -1448,6 +1448,11 @@ _elm_config_init(void)
    _desc_init();
    _profile_fetch_from_conf();
    _config_load();
+   if (_elm_preferred_engine) eina_stringshare_del(_elm_preferred_engine);
+   if (_elm_config->engine)
+     _elm_preferred_engine = eina_stringshare_add(_elm_config->engine);
+   else
+     _elm_preferred_engine = NULL;
    _translation_init();
    _env_get();
    _config_apply();
@@ -1543,6 +1548,18 @@ _elm_config_engine_set(const char *engine)
    _elm_config->engine = eina_stringshare_add(engine);
 }
 
+EAPI const char *
+elm_preferred_engine_get(void)
+{
+   return _elm_preferred_engine;
+}
+
+EAPI void
+elm_preferred_engine_set(const char *engine)
+{
+   eina_stringshare_replace(&(_elm_preferred_engine), engine);
+}
+
 void
 _elm_config_profile_set(const char *profile)
 {
@@ -1595,6 +1612,11 @@ _elm_config_shutdown(void)
 #endif
      }
    _config_free();
+   if (_elm_preferred_engine)
+     {
+        eina_stringshare_del(_elm_preferred_engine);
+        _elm_preferred_engine = NULL;
+     }
    if (_elm_profile)
      {
         free(_elm_profile);
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_engine.h b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_engine.h
index 89ce74f176..4dcf2ac008 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_engine.h
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_engine.h
@@ -50,6 +50,33 @@ EAPI const char *elm_engine_get(void);
  */
 EAPI void        elm_engine_set(const char *engine);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Get Elementary's preferred engine to use.
+ *
+ * @return The rendering engine's name
+ * @note there's no need to free the returned string, here.
+ *
+ * This gets the global rendering engine that is applied to all Elementary
+ * applications and is PREFERRED by the application. This can (and will)
+ * override the engine configured for all applications which.
+ *
+ * @see elm_preferred_engine_set()
+ */
+EAPI const char *elm_preferred_engine_get(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Set Elementary's preferred rendering engine for use.
+ *
+ * @param engine The rendering engine's name
+ *
+ * Note that it will take effect only to Elementary windows created after
+ * this is called. This overrides the engine set by configuration at
+ * application startup. Note that it is a hint and may not be honored.
+ *
+ * @see elm_win_add()
+ */
+EAPI void        elm_preferred_engine_set(const char *engine);
+
 /**
  * @}
  */
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_priv.h b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_priv.h
index dfc25779aa..ce266f4f11 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_priv.h
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_priv.h
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ extern const char *_elm_lib_dir;
 extern int _elm_log_dom;
 extern Eina_List *_elm_win_list;
 extern int _elm_win_deferred_free;
+extern const char *_elm_preferred_engine;
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_NLS
 /* Our gettext wrapper, used to disable translation of elm if the app
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_win.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_win.c
index dfbb5fe547..044d48d9e5 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_win.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_win.c
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ _elm_win_xwindow_get(Elm_Win *win)
 {
    win->xwin = 0;
 
-#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_config->engine, name))
+#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_preferred_engine, name))
    if (ENGINE_COMPARE(ELM_SOFTWARE_X11))
      {
        if (win->ee) win->xwin = ecore_evas_software_x11_window_get(win->ee);
@@ -1745,7 +1745,7 @@ elm_win_add(Evas_Object *parent, const char *name, Elm_Win_Type type)
          if (win->ee)                                                   \
             elm_engine_set(ecore_evas_engine_name_get(win->ee));        \
    } while (0)
-#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (_elm_config->engine && !strcmp(_elm_config->engine, name))
+#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (_elm_preferred_engine && !strcmp(_elm_preferred_engine, name))
 
    win->kbdmode = ELM_WIN_KEYBOARD_UNKNOWN;
    win->indmode = ELM_WIN_INDICATOR_UNKNOWN;
@@ -1907,11 +1907,11 @@ elm_win_add(Evas_Object *parent, const char *name, Elm_Win_Type type)
              _elm_win_frame_add(win, "default");
 //             _elm_win_pointer_add(win, "default");
           }
-        else if (!strncmp(_elm_config->engine, "shot:", 5))
+        else if (!strncmp(_elm_preferred_engine, "shot:", 5))
           {
              win->ee = ecore_evas_buffer_new(1, 1);
              ecore_evas_manual_render_set(win->ee, EINA_TRUE);
-             win->shot.info = eina_stringshare_add(_elm_config->engine + 5);
+             win->shot.info = eina_stringshare_add(_elm_preferred_engine + 5);
              _shot_init(win);
           }
 #undef FALLBACK_TRY
@@ -2433,7 +2433,7 @@ elm_win_fullscreen_set(Evas_Object *obj, Eina_Bool fullscreen)
    win = elm_widget_data_get(obj);
    if (!win) return;
    // YYY: handle if win->img_obj
-#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_config->engine, name))
+#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_preferred_engine, name))
    if (ENGINE_COMPARE(ELM_SOFTWARE_FB) ||
        ENGINE_COMPARE(ELM_SOFTWARE_16_WINCE))
      {
@@ -2458,7 +2458,7 @@ elm_win_fullscreen_get(const Evas_Object *obj)
    ELM_CHECK_WIDTYPE(obj, widtype) EINA_FALSE;
    win = elm_widget_data_get(obj);
    if (!win) return EINA_FALSE;
-#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_config->engine, name))
+#define ENGINE_COMPARE(name) (!strcmp(_elm_preferred_engine, name))
    if (ENGINE_COMPARE(ELM_SOFTWARE_FB) ||
        ENGINE_COMPARE(ELM_SOFTWARE_16_WINCE))
      {