diff --git a/scripts/runqemu b/scripts/runqemu
index 310d79fdc5..398f0a0910 100755
--- a/scripts/runqemu
+++ b/scripts/runqemu
@@ -454,7 +454,8 @@ class BaseConfig(object):
                     self.qemu_opt_script += ' -display gtk'
             elif arg == 'gl' or arg == 'gl-es':
                 # These args are handled inside sdl or gtk blocks above
-                pass
+                if ('gtk' not in sys.argv) and ('sdl' not in sys.argv):
+                    raise RunQemuError('Option %s also needs gtk or sdl option.' % (arg))
             elif arg == 'egl-headless':
                 self.qemu_opt_script += ' -vga virtio -display egl-headless'
                 # As runqemu can be run within bitbake (when using testimage, for example),