diff --git a/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_initstate.cpp b/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_initstate.cpp
index e188b6dcc..3eedc8d51 100644
--- a/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_initstate.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_initstate.cpp
@@ -567,14 +567,16 @@ bool GLResourceManager::Prepare_InitialState(GLResource res)
 
     ContextShareGroup *shareGroup = (ContextShareGroup *)res.ContextShareGroup;
 
-    m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = shareGroup->m_BackDoor;
-    m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(shareGroup->m_BackDoor);
+    if(m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(shareGroup->m_BackDoor))
+    {
+      m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = shareGroup->m_BackDoor;
 
-    ContextPrepare_InitialState(res);
+      ContextPrepare_InitialState(res);
 
-    // restore the context
-    m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = oldContextData;
-    m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(oldContextData);
+      // restore the context
+      m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = oldContextData;
+      m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(oldContextData);
+    }
   }
   else
   {
@@ -1813,18 +1815,19 @@ bool GLResourceManager::Serialise_InitialState(WriteSerialiser &ser, ResourceId
 
     GLWindowingData backdoor = ((ContextShareGroup *)res.ContextShareGroup)->m_BackDoor;
 
-    m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(backdoor);
+    if(m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(backdoor))
+    {
+      m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = backdoor;
 
-    m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = backdoor;
+      bool success = Serialise_InitialState<WriteSerialiser>(ser, id, record, initial);
 
-    bool success = Serialise_InitialState<WriteSerialiser>(ser, id, record, initial);
+      // restore the context
+      m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = oldContextData;
 
-    // restore the context
-    m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()] = oldContextData;
+      m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(oldContextData);
 
-    m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(oldContextData);
-
-    return success;
+      return success;
+    }
   }
 
   return Serialise_InitialState<WriteSerialiser>(ser, id, record, initial);
diff --git a/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_manager.cpp b/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_manager.cpp
index b50bc91a6..be6a025bb 100644
--- a/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_manager.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/driver/gl/gl_manager.cpp
@@ -145,12 +145,17 @@ bool GLResourceManager::ResourceTypeRelease(GLResource res)
     {
       ContextShareGroup *contextShareGroup = (ContextShareGroup *)res.ContextShareGroup;
 
-      m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(contextShareGroup->m_BackDoor);
+      if(m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(contextShareGroup->m_BackDoor))
+      {
+        m_Driver->ReleaseResource(res);
 
-      m_Driver->ReleaseResource(res);
-
-      // restore the context
-      m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()]);
+        // restore the context
+        m_Driver->m_Platform.MakeContextCurrent(m_Driver->m_ActiveContexts[Threading::GetCurrentID()]);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        m_Driver->QueueResourceRelease(res);
+      }
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/renderdoc/driver/gl/wgl_platform.cpp b/renderdoc/driver/gl/wgl_platform.cpp
index 67871162e..885f01411 100644
--- a/renderdoc/driver/gl/wgl_platform.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/driver/gl/wgl_platform.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,25 @@ class WGLPlatform : public GLPlatform
     if(!WGL.wglCreateContextAttribsARB)
       return ret;
 
+    // the reason we have to create an entire window and DC is because the share DC (and window)
+    // can be destroyed after we make a clone, which causes the DC (and window) we hold on to,
+    // to become invalid.
+    if(!RegisterClass())
+      return ret;
+
+    HWND wnd =
+        CreateWindowW(WINDOW_CLASS_NAME, L"", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
+                      CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, NULL, NULL, GetModuleHandle(NULL), NULL);
+
+    HDC dc = GetDC(wnd);
+
+    int pf = GetPixelFormat(share.DC);
+
+    PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR pfd;
+    DescribePixelFormat(share.DC, pf, sizeof(PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR), &pfd);
+
+    SetPixelFormat(dc, pf, &pfd);
+
     const int attribs[] = {
         WGL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION_ARB,
         3,
@@ -58,7 +77,13 @@ class WGLPlatform : public GLPlatform
         0,
     };
 
-    ret.ctx = WGL.wglCreateContextAttribsARB(share.DC, share.ctx, attribs);
+    HGLRC rc = WGL.wglCreateContextAttribsARB(dc, share.ctx, attribs);
+
+    ShowWindow(wnd, SW_HIDE);
+
+    ret.wnd = wnd;
+    ret.DC = dc;
+    ret.ctx = rc;
 
     return ret;
   }
@@ -66,7 +91,11 @@ class WGLPlatform : public GLPlatform
   void DeleteClonedContext(GLWindowingData context)
   {
     if(context.ctx && WGL.wglDeleteContext)
+    {
       WGL.wglDeleteContext(context.ctx);
+      ::ReleaseDC(context.wnd, context.DC);
+      ::DestroyWindow(context.wnd);
+    }
   }
 
   void DeleteReplayContext(GLWindowingData context)