diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@
             cm_selection->owning = false;
             cm_selection->release();
         }
-        if (kwinApp()->requiresCompositing()) {
+        if (kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing()) {
             qCCritical(KWIN_CORE) << "The used windowing system requires compositing";
             qCCritical(KWIN_CORE) << "We are going to quit KWin now as it is broken";
             qApp->quit();
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@
             cm_selection->owning = false;
             cm_selection->release();
         }
-        if (kwinApp()->requiresCompositing()) {
+        if (kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing()) {
             qCCritical(KWIN_CORE) << "The used windowing system requires compositing";
             qCCritical(KWIN_CORE) << "We are going to quit KWin now as it is broken";
             qApp->quit();
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@
 // for the shortcut
 void Compositor::slotToggleCompositing()
 {
-    if (kwinApp()->requiresCompositing()) {
+    if (kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing()) {
         // we are not allowed to turn on/off compositing
         return;
     }
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@
 
 void Compositor::updateCompositeBlocking(Client *c)
 {
-    if (kwinApp()->requiresCompositing()) {
+    if (kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing()) {
         return;
     }
     if (c) { // if c == 0 we just check if we can resume
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@
 
 void Compositor::suspend(Compositor::SuspendReason reason)
 {
-    if (kwinApp()->requiresCompositing()) {
+    if (kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing()) {
         return;
     }
     Q_ASSERT(reason != NoReasonSuspend);
diff --git a/main.h b/main.h
--- a/main.h
+++ b/main.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@
     OperationMode operationMode() const;
     void setOperationMode(OperationMode mode);
     bool shouldUseWaylandForCompositing() const;
-    bool requiresCompositing() const;
 
     void setupTranslator();
     void setupCommandLine(QCommandLineParser *parser);
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -123,11 +123,6 @@
     return m_operationMode == OperationModeWaylandAndX11 || m_operationMode == OperationModeXwayland;
 }
 
-bool Application::requiresCompositing() const
-{
-    return shouldUseWaylandForCompositing();
-}
-
 void Application::start()
 {
     setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(false);
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -542,20 +542,16 @@
         m_compositingMode = mode;
     }
     // Separate to mode so the user can toggle
-    bool isUseCompositing() const {
-        return m_useCompositing || kwinApp()->requiresCompositing();
-    }
+    bool isUseCompositing() const;
     bool isCompositingInitialized() const {
         return m_compositingInitialized;
     }
 
     // General preferences
     HiddenPreviews hiddenPreviews() const {
         return m_hiddenPreviews;
     }
-    bool isUnredirectFullscreen() const {
-        return m_unredirectFullscreen && !kwinApp()->requiresCompositing();
-    }
+    bool isUnredirectFullscreen() const;
     // OpenGL
     // 0 = no, 1 = yes when transformed,
     // 2 = try trilinear when transformed; else 1,
diff --git a/options.cpp b/options.cpp
--- a/options.cpp
+++ b/options.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "options.h"
 #include "config-kwin.h"
 #include "utils.h"
+#include "platform.h"
 
 #ifndef KCMRULES
 
@@ -1157,4 +1158,15 @@
     return m_modifierOnlyShortcuts.value(mod);
 }
 
+bool Options::isUseCompositing() const
+{
+    return m_useCompositing || kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing();
+}
+
+
+bool Options::isUnredirectFullscreen() const
+{
+    return m_unredirectFullscreen && !kwinApp()->platform()->requiresCompositing();
+}
+
 } // namespace
diff --git a/platform.h b/platform.h
--- a/platform.h
+++ b/platform.h
@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@
      */
     virtual void configurationChangeRequested(KWayland::Server::OutputConfigurationInterface *config);
 
+    /**
+     * Whether the Platform requires compositing for rendering.
+     * Default implementation returns @c true. If the implementing Platform allows to be used
+     * without compositing (e.g. rendering is done by the windowing system), re-implement this method.
+     **/
+    virtual bool requiresCompositing() const;
+
     bool usesSoftwareCursor() const {
         return m_softWareCursor;
     }
diff --git a/platform.cpp b/platform.cpp
--- a/platform.cpp
+++ b/platform.cpp
@@ -281,4 +281,9 @@
     return QVector<QRect>({QRect(QPoint(0, 0), screenSize())});
 }
 
+bool Platform::requiresCompositing() const
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
--- a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
+++ b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     Screens *createScreens(QObject *parent = nullptr) override;
     OpenGLBackend *createOpenGLBackend() override;
     Edge *createScreenEdge(ScreenEdges *parent) override;
+    bool requiresCompositing() const override;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
@@ -74,4 +74,10 @@
     return new WindowBasedEdge(edges);
 }
 
+bool X11StandalonePlatform::requiresCompositing() const
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
+
 }