diff --git a/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroEGL.java b/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroEGL.java
index 0c0b91d267..1aa998f0a5 100644
--- a/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroEGL.java
+++ b/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroEGL.java
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ class AllegroEGL
 {
    private static final String TAG = "AllegroEGL";
 
-   private static final int EGL_CONTEXT_CLIENT_VERSION = 0x3098;
+   private static final int EGL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION = 0x3098;
+   private static final int EGL_CONTEXT_MINOR_VERSION = 0x30fb;
    private static final int EGL_OPENGL_ES_BIT = 1;
    private static final int EGL_OPENGL_ES2_BIT = 4;
 
@@ -184,11 +185,26 @@ void egl_getConfigAttribs(int index, int ret[])
       }
    }
 
+   private int[] versionAttribList(int major, int minor)
+   {
+      return new int[] {
+         EGL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION, major,
+         EGL_CONTEXT_MINOR_VERSION, minor,
+         EGL10.EGL_NONE
+      };
+   }
+
+   private int versionCode(int major, int minor)
+   {
+      return (major << 8) | minor;
+   }
+
    /* Return values:
     * 0 - failure
     * 1 - success
     */
-   int egl_createContext(int configIndex, boolean programmable_pipeline)
+   int egl_createContext(int configIndex, boolean programmable_pipeline,
+      int major, int minor, boolean isRequiredMajor, boolean isRequiredMinor)
    {
       Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext");
 
@@ -198,21 +214,55 @@ int egl_createContext(int configIndex, boolean programmable_pipeline)
       matchingConfigs = null;
       attribMap = null;
 
-      int version = (programmable_pipeline) ? 2 : 1;
-      int[] attribs = {
-         EGL_CONTEXT_CLIENT_VERSION, version,
-         EGL10.EGL_NONE
-      };
+      // we'll attempt to create a GLES context of version major.minor.
+      // if major == minor == 0, then the user did not request a specific version.
+      // minMajor.minMinor is the minimum acceptable version.
+
+      int minMajor = (programmable_pipeline || major >= 2) ? 2 : 1;
+      int minMinor = 0;
+
+      if (isRequiredMajor && major > minMajor)
+         minMajor = major;
+      if (isRequiredMinor && minor > minMinor)
+         minMinor = minor;
+
+      int minVersion = versionCode(minMajor, minMinor);
+      int wantedVersion = versionCode(major, minor);
+      if (wantedVersion < minVersion) {
+         if(isRequiredMajor || isRequiredMinor) {
+            Log.d(TAG, "Can't require OpenGL ES version " + major + "." + minor);
+            return 0;
+         }
 
+         major = minMajor;
+         minor = minMinor;
+         wantedVersion = minVersion;
+      }
+
+      Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext: requesting OpenGL ES " + major + "." + minor);
+
+      // request a GLES context version major.minor
       EGLContext ctx = egl.eglCreateContext(egl_Display, chosenConfig,
-         EGL10.EGL_NO_CONTEXT, attribs);
+         EGL10.EGL_NO_CONTEXT, versionAttribList(major, minor));
       if (ctx == EGL10.EGL_NO_CONTEXT) {
+         // failed to create a GLES context of the requested version
          checkEglError("eglCreateContext", egl);
-         Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext no context");
-         return 0;
+         Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext failed. min version is " +
+            minMajor + "." + minMinor);
+
+         // try the min version instead, unless the user required the failed version
+         if ((wantedVersion == minVersion) || (EGL10.EGL_NO_CONTEXT == (ctx =
+            egl.eglCreateContext(egl_Display, chosenConfig, EGL10.EGL_NO_CONTEXT,
+            versionAttribList(minMajor, minMinor))
+         ))) {
+            // failed again
+            checkEglError("eglCreateContext", egl);
+            Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext no context");
+            return 0;
+         }
       }
 
-      Log.d(TAG, "EGL context (OpenGL ES " + version + ") created");
+      Log.d(TAG, "egl_createContext: success");
 
       egl_Context = ctx;
       return 1;
diff --git a/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroSurface.java b/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroSurface.java
index 80dd12ff5d..8d9fd6d1d5 100644
--- a/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroSurface.java
+++ b/android/gradle_project/allegro/src/main/java/org/liballeg/android/AllegroSurface.java
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@ void egl_getConfigAttribs(int index, int ret[])
       egl.egl_getConfigAttribs(index, ret);
    }
 
-   int egl_createContext(int configIndex, boolean programmable_pipeline)
+   int egl_createContext(int configIndex, boolean programmable_pipeline,
+      int major, int minor, boolean isRequiredMajor, boolean isRequiredMinor)
    {
-      return egl.egl_createContext(configIndex, programmable_pipeline);
+      return egl.egl_createContext(configIndex, programmable_pipeline,
+         major, minor, isRequiredMajor, isRequiredMinor);
    }
 
    boolean egl_createSurface()
diff --git a/src/android/android_display.c b/src/android/android_display.c
index 1148aa36d0..1dc146755b 100644
--- a/src/android/android_display.c
+++ b/src/android/android_display.c
@@ -241,8 +241,12 @@ static bool _al_android_init_display(JNIEnv *env,
 {
    ALLEGRO_SYSTEM_ANDROID *system = (void *)al_get_system_driver();
    ALLEGRO_DISPLAY *d = (ALLEGRO_DISPLAY *)display;
+   const ALLEGRO_EXTRA_DISPLAY_SETTINGS *extras = &main_thread_display_settings;
    int config_index;
    bool programmable_pipeline;
+   int major_version, minor_version;
+   bool is_required_major, is_required_minor;
+   bool is_suggested_major, is_suggested_minor;
    int ret;
 
    ASSERT(system != NULL);
@@ -268,10 +272,22 @@ static bool _al_android_init_display(JNIEnv *env,
    }
 
    programmable_pipeline = (d->flags & ALLEGRO_PROGRAMMABLE_PIPELINE);
+   major_version = extras->settings[ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MAJOR_VERSION];
+   minor_version = extras->settings[ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MINOR_VERSION];
+   is_required_major = (extras->required & ((int64_t)1 << ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MAJOR_VERSION));
+   is_required_minor = (extras->required & ((int64_t)1 << ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MINOR_VERSION));
+   is_suggested_major = (extras->suggested & ((int64_t)1 << ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MAJOR_VERSION));
+   is_suggested_minor = (extras->suggested & ((int64_t)1 << ALLEGRO_OPENGL_MINOR_VERSION));
+
+   if (!is_required_major && !is_suggested_major) // "don't care"
+      major_version = 0;
+   if (!is_required_minor && !is_suggested_minor)
+      minor_version = 0;
 
    ALLEGRO_DEBUG("calling egl_createContext");
    ret = _jni_callIntMethodV(env, display->surface_object,
-      "egl_createContext", "(IZ)I", config_index, programmable_pipeline);
+      "egl_createContext", "(IZIIZZ)I", config_index, programmable_pipeline,
+      major_version, minor_version, is_required_major, is_required_minor);
    if (!ret) {
       // XXX should probably destroy the AllegroSurface here
       ALLEGRO_ERROR("failed to create egl context!");