diff --git a/MonoGame.Framework/Platform/Graphics/GraphicsContext.SDL.cs b/MonoGame.Framework/Platform/Graphics/GraphicsContext.SDL.cs
index f6a2756b0c4..eb9d42c9354 100644
--- a/MonoGame.Framework/Platform/Graphics/GraphicsContext.SDL.cs
+++ b/MonoGame.Framework/Platform/Graphics/GraphicsContext.SDL.cs
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ public GraphicsContext(IWindowInfo info)
                 return;
             
             SetWindowHandle(info);
+#if DEBUG
+            // create debug context, so we get better error messages (glDebugMessageCallback)
+            Sdl.GL.SetAttribute(Sdl.GL.Attribute.ContextFlags, 1); // 1 = SDL_GL_CONTEXT_DEBUG_FLAG
+#endif
             _context = Sdl.GL.CreateContext(_winHandle);
 
             // GL entry points must be loaded after the GL context creation, otherwise some Windows drivers will return only GL 1.3 compatible functions