diff --git a/backend/drm/drm.c b/backend/drm/drm.c
index caf27d71..b56cf6d5 100644
--- a/backend/drm/drm.c
+++ b/backend/drm/drm.c
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@
 #include "types/wlr_buffer.h"
 #include "util/signal.h"
 
+static const uint32_t SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE =
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BUFFER |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_MODE |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_GAMMA_LUT;
+
 bool check_drm_features(struct wlr_drm_backend *drm) {
 	if (drmGetCap(drm->fd, DRM_CAP_CURSOR_WIDTH, &drm->cursor_width)) {
 		drm->cursor_width = 64;
@@ -435,6 +442,13 @@ static bool drm_connector_test(struct wlr_output *output) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	uint32_t unsupported = output->pending.committed & ~SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE;
+	if (unsupported != 0) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Unsupported output state fields: 0x%"PRIx32,
+			unsupported);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	if ((output->pending.committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED) &&
 			output->pending.enabled) {
 		if (output->current_mode == NULL &&
diff --git a/backend/headless/output.c b/backend/headless/output.c
index 2e4dee2d..9ec6ce50 100644
--- a/backend/headless/output.c
+++ b/backend/headless/output.c
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 #include "backend/headless.h"
 #include "util/signal.h"
 
+static const uint32_t SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE =
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BUFFER |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_MODE;
+
 static struct wlr_headless_output *headless_output_from_output(
 		struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	assert(wlr_output_is_headless(wlr_output));
@@ -29,8 +34,11 @@ static bool output_set_custom_mode(struct wlr_output *wlr_output, int32_t width,
 }
 
 static bool output_test(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
-	if (wlr_output->pending.committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Cannot disable a headless output");
+	uint32_t unsupported =
+		wlr_output->pending.committed & ~SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE;
+	if (unsupported != 0) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Unsupported output state fields: 0x%"PRIx32,
+			unsupported);
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/noop/output.c b/backend/noop/output.c
index 1302d3d6..1e927feb 100644
--- a/backend/noop/output.c
+++ b/backend/noop/output.c
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 #include "backend/noop.h"
 #include "util/signal.h"
 
+static const uint32_t SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE =
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_MODE;
+
 static struct wlr_noop_output *noop_output_from_output(
 		struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	assert(wlr_output_is_noop(wlr_output));
@@ -22,8 +26,11 @@ static void output_rollback_render(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 }
 
 static bool output_commit(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
-	if (wlr_output->pending.committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Cannot disable a noop output");
+	uint32_t unsupported =
+		wlr_output->pending.committed & ~SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE;
+	if (unsupported != 0) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Unsupported output state fields: 0x%"PRIx32,
+			unsupported);
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index c8730cd0..542185ce 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
 #include "xdg-decoration-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "xdg-shell-client-protocol.h"
 
+static const uint32_t SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE =
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BUFFER |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_MODE;
+
 static struct wlr_wl_output *get_wl_output_from_output(
 		struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	assert(wlr_output_is_wl(wlr_output));
@@ -244,8 +249,11 @@ static bool output_test(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	struct wlr_wl_output *output =
 		get_wl_output_from_output(wlr_output);
 
-	if (wlr_output->pending.committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Cannot disable a Wayland output");
+	uint32_t unsupported =
+		wlr_output->pending.committed & ~SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE;
+	if (unsupported != 0) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Unsupported output state fields: 0x%"PRIx32,
+			unsupported);
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/x11/output.c b/backend/x11/output.c
index 440e26de..15d1d9a0 100644
--- a/backend/x11/output.c
+++ b/backend/x11/output.c
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
 #include "util/signal.h"
 #include "util/time.h"
 
+static const uint32_t SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE =
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BUFFER |
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_MODE;
+
 static void parse_xcb_setup(struct wlr_output *output,
 		xcb_connection_t *xcb) {
 	const xcb_setup_t *xcb_setup = xcb_get_setup(xcb);
@@ -94,8 +99,11 @@ static void output_destroy(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 }
 
 static bool output_test(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
-	if (wlr_output->pending.committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ENABLED) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Cannot disable an X11 output");
+	uint32_t unsupported =
+		wlr_output->pending.committed & ~SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_STATE;
+	if (unsupported != 0) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Unsupported output state fields: 0x%"PRIx32,
+			unsupported);
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
index a727da61..83a8c321 100644
--- a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_box.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 
+/**
+ * Output state fields that don't require backend support. Backends can ignore
+ * them without breaking the API contract.
+ */
+#define WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_BACKEND_OPTIONAL \
+	(WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_DAMAGE | \
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_SCALE | \
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_TRANSFORM | \
+	WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_ADAPTIVE_SYNC_ENABLED)
+
 /**
  * A backend implementation of wlr_output.
  *