diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
index 93ab5fdf..819791e8 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
@@ -843,7 +843,6 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::begin(PHLMONITOR pMonitor, const CRegion& damage_, CFrameb
         m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offloadFB.alloc(pMonitor->vecPixelSize.x, pMonitor->vecPixelSize.y, pMonitor->output->state->state().drmFormat);
         m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->mirrorFB.alloc(pMonitor->vecPixelSize.x, pMonitor->vecPixelSize.y, pMonitor->output->state->state().drmFormat);
         m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->mirrorSwapFB.alloc(pMonitor->vecPixelSize.x, pMonitor->vecPixelSize.y, pMonitor->output->state->state().drmFormat);
-        m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.alloc(pMonitor->vecPixelSize.x, pMonitor->vecPixelSize.y, pMonitor->output->state->state().drmFormat);
 
         m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offloadFB.addStencil(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->stencilTex);
         m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->mirrorFB.addStencil(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->stencilTex);
@@ -954,6 +953,12 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::end() {
     m_RenderData.mainFB             = nullptr;
     m_RenderData.outFB              = nullptr;
 
+    // if we dropped to offMain, release it now.
+    // if there is a plugin constantly using it, this might be a bit slow,
+    // but I havent seen a single plugin yet use these, so it's better to drop a bit of vram.
+    if (m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.isAllocated())
+        m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.release();
+
     // check for gl errors
     const GLenum ERR = glGetError();
 
@@ -2881,6 +2886,9 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::restoreMatrix() {
 }
 
 void CHyprOpenGLImpl::bindOffMain() {
+    if (!m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.isAllocated())
+        m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.alloc(m_RenderData.pMonitor->vecPixelSize.x, m_RenderData.pMonitor->vecPixelSize.y,
+                                                      m_RenderData.pMonitor->output->state->state().drmFormat);
     m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB.bind();
     clear(CHyprColor(0, 0, 0, 0));
     m_RenderData.currentFB = &m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->offMainFB;