diff --git a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
@@ -561,11 +561,20 @@
 
 void DrmBackend::present(DrmBuffer *buffer, DrmOutput *output)
 {
+    if (!buffer || buffer->bufferId() == 0) {
+        if (m_deleteBufferAfterPageFlip) {
+            delete buffer;
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (output->present(buffer)) {
         m_pageFlipsPending++;
         if (m_pageFlipsPending == 1 && Compositor::self()) {
             Compositor::self()->aboutToSwapBuffers();
         }
+    } else if (m_deleteBufferAfterPageFlip) {
+        delete buffer;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_output.cpp b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_output.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_output.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_output.cpp
@@ -765,9 +765,6 @@
 
 bool DrmOutput::present(DrmBuffer *buffer)
 {
-    if (!buffer || buffer->bufferId() == 0) {
-            return false;
-    }
     if (m_backend->atomicModeSetting()) {
         return presentAtomically(buffer);
     } else {
@@ -816,14 +813,13 @@
 
     if (!doAtomicCommit(AtomicCommitMode::Test)) {
         //TODO: When we use planes for layered rendering, fallback to renderer instead. Also for direct scanout?
+        //TODO: Probably should undo setNext and reset the flip list
         qCDebug(KWIN_DRM) << "Atomic test commit failed. Aborting present.";
-        if (this->m_backend->deleteBufferAfterPageFlip()) {
-            delete buffer;
-        }
         return false;
     }
     if (!doAtomicCommit(AtomicCommitMode::Real)) {
         qCDebug(KWIN_DRM) << "Atomic commit failed. This should have never happened! Aborting present.";
+        //TODO: Probably should undo setNext and reset the flip list
         return false;
     }
     m_pageFlipPending = true;
@@ -856,7 +852,6 @@
     } else {
         errno_save = errno;
         qCWarning(KWIN_DRM) << "Page flip failed:" << strerror(errno);
-        delete buffer;
     }
     return ok;
 }