diff --git a/src/renderer/api.c b/src/renderer/api.c
index 8bdf4a0d..ad86c747 100644
--- a/src/renderer/api.c
+++ b/src/renderer/api.c
@@ -252,8 +252,21 @@ SDL_Window* r_create_window(const char *title, int x, int y, int w, int h, uint3
 	return B.create_window(title, x, y, w, h, flags);
 }
 
-bool r_supports(RendererFeature feature) {
-	return B.supports(feature);
+r_feature_bits_t r_features(void) {
+	return B.features();
+}
+
+r_capability_bits_t r_capabilities_current(void) {
+	return B.capabilities_current();
+}
+
+void r_capabilities(r_capability_bits_t newcaps) {
+	r_capability_bits_t caps = B.capabilities_current();
+
+	if(caps != newcaps) {
+		_r_state_touch_capabilities();
+		B.capabilities(newcaps);
+	}
 }
 
 void r_capability(RendererCapability cap, bool value) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/api.h b/src/renderer/api.h
index a3d9de45..4e6a2715 100644
--- a/src/renderer/api.h
+++ b/src/renderer/api.h
@@ -409,7 +409,10 @@ void r_init(void);
 void r_post_init(void);
 void r_shutdown(void);
 
-bool r_supports(RendererFeature feature);
+r_feature_bits_t r_features(void);
+
+r_capability_bits_t r_capabilities_current(void);
+void r_capabilities(r_capability_bits_t newcaps);
 
 void r_capability(RendererCapability cap, bool value);
 bool r_capability_current(RendererCapability cap);
@@ -838,4 +841,9 @@ r_feature_bits_t r_feature_bit(RendererFeature feat) {
 	return (1 << idx);
 }
 
+static inline attr_must_inline
+bool r_supports(RendererFeature feature) {
+	return r_features() & r_feature_bit(feature);
+}
+
 #endif // IGUARD_renderer_api_h
diff --git a/src/renderer/common/backend.h b/src/renderer/common/backend.h
index 14d81f13..9baa1246 100644
--- a/src/renderer/common/backend.h
+++ b/src/renderer/common/backend.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ typedef struct RendererFuncs {
 
 	SDL_Window* (*create_window)(const char *title, int x, int y, int w, int h, uint32_t flags);
 
-	bool (*supports)(RendererFeature feature);
+	r_feature_bits_t (*features)(void);
 
 	void (*capabilities)(r_capability_bits_t capbits);
 	r_capability_bits_t (*capabilities_current)(void);
diff --git a/src/renderer/common/sprite_batch.c b/src/renderer/common/sprite_batch.c
index 3ac711dd..7c395174 100644
--- a/src/renderer/common/sprite_batch.c
+++ b/src/renderer/common/sprite_batch.c
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@
 #include "resource/sprite.h"
 #include "resource/model.h"
 
+#ifndef SPRITE_BATCH_STATS
+#ifdef DEBUG
+	#define SPRITE_BATCH_STATS 1
+#else
+	#define SPRITE_BATCH_STATS 0
+#endif
+#endif
+
 typedef struct SpriteAttribs {
 	mat4 transform;
 	mat4 tex_transform;
@@ -29,30 +37,33 @@ typedef struct SpriteAttribs {
 #define SIZEOF_SPRITE_ATTRIBS (offsetof(SpriteAttribs, end_of_fields))
 
 static struct SpriteBatchState {
+	// constants (set once on init and not expected to change)
 	VertexArray *varr;
 	VertexBuffer *vbuf;
-	uint base_instance;
+	Model quad;
+	r_feature_bits_t renderer_features;
+
+	// varying state
+	mat4 projection;
 	Texture *primary_texture;
 	Texture *aux_textures[R_NUM_SPRITE_AUX_TEXTURES];
 	ShaderProgram *shader;
-	BlendMode blend;
 	Framebuffer *framebuffer;
+	uint base_instance;
+	BlendMode blend;
 	CullFaceMode cull_mode;
 	DepthTestFunc depth_func;
-	mat4 projection CGLM_ALIGN(32);
-	uint cull_enabled : 1;
-	uint depth_test_enabled : 1;
-	uint depth_write_enabled : 1;
 	uint num_pending;
+	r_capability_bits_t capbits;
 
-	Model quad;
-
+#if SPRITE_BATCH_STATS
 	struct {
 		uint flushes;
 		uint sprites;
 		uint best_batch;
 		uint worst_batch;
 	} frame_stats;
+#endif
 } _r_sprite_batch;
 
 void _r_sprite_batch_init(void) {
@@ -113,6 +124,8 @@ void _r_sprite_batch_init(void) {
 	_r_sprite_batch.quad.offset = 0;
 	_r_sprite_batch.quad.primitive = PRIM_TRIANGLE_STRIP;
 	_r_sprite_batch.quad.vertex_array = _r_sprite_batch.varr;
+
+	_r_sprite_batch.renderer_features = r_features();
 }
 
 void _r_sprite_batch_shutdown(void) {
@@ -128,21 +141,23 @@ void r_flush_sprites(void) {
 	uint pending = _r_sprite_batch.num_pending;
 
 	// needs to be done early to thwart recursive callss
+	_r_sprite_batch.num_pending = 0;
 
+#if SPRITE_BATCH_STATS
 	if(_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.flushes) {
-		if(_r_sprite_batch.num_pending > _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch) {
-			_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch = _r_sprite_batch.num_pending;
+		if(pending > _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch) {
+			_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch = pending;
 		}
 
-		if(_r_sprite_batch.num_pending < _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch) {
-			_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch = _r_sprite_batch.num_pending;
+		if(pending < _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch) {
+			_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch = pending;
 		}
 	} else {
-		_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch = _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch = _r_sprite_batch.num_pending;
+		_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.worst_batch = _r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.best_batch = pending;
 	}
 
-	_r_sprite_batch.num_pending = 0;
 	_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.flushes++;
+#endif
 
 	r_state_push();
 
@@ -155,13 +170,17 @@ void r_flush_sprites(void) {
 	r_uniform_sampler_array("tex_aux[0]", 0, R_NUM_SPRITE_AUX_TEXTURES, _r_sprite_batch.aux_textures);
 	r_framebuffer(_r_sprite_batch.framebuffer);
 	r_blend(_r_sprite_batch.blend);
-	r_capability(RCAP_DEPTH_TEST, _r_sprite_batch.depth_test_enabled);
-	r_capability(RCAP_DEPTH_WRITE, _r_sprite_batch.depth_write_enabled);
-	r_capability(RCAP_CULL_FACE, _r_sprite_batch.cull_enabled);
-	r_depth_func(_r_sprite_batch.depth_func);
-	r_cull(_r_sprite_batch.cull_mode);
+	r_capabilities(_r_sprite_batch.capbits);
 
-	if(r_supports(RFEAT_DRAW_INSTANCED_BASE_INSTANCE)) {
+	if(_r_sprite_batch.capbits & r_capability_bit(RCAP_DEPTH_TEST)) {
+		r_depth_func(_r_sprite_batch.depth_func);
+	}
+
+	if(_r_sprite_batch.capbits & r_capability_bit(RCAP_CULL_FACE)) {
+		r_cull(_r_sprite_batch.cull_mode);
+	}
+
+	if(_r_sprite_batch.renderer_features & r_feature_bit(RFEAT_DRAW_INSTANCED_BASE_INSTANCE)) {
 		r_draw_model_ptr(&_r_sprite_batch.quad, pending, _r_sprite_batch.base_instance);
 		_r_sprite_batch.base_instance += pending;
 
@@ -256,7 +275,10 @@ static void _r_sprite_batch_add(Sprite *spr, const SpriteParams *params, SDL_RWo
 	}
 
 	SDL_RWwrite(stream, &attribs, SIZEOF_SPRITE_ATTRIBS, 1);
+
+#if SPRITE_BATCH_STATS
 	_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.sprites++;
+#endif
 }
 
 void r_draw_sprite(const SpriteParams *params) {
@@ -319,33 +341,21 @@ void r_draw_sprite(const SpriteParams *params) {
 		_r_sprite_batch.blend = blend;
 	}
 
-	bool depth_test_enabled = r_capability_current(RCAP_DEPTH_TEST);
-	bool depth_write_enabled = r_capability_current(RCAP_DEPTH_WRITE);
-	bool cull_enabled = r_capability_current(RCAP_CULL_FACE);
+	r_capability_bits_t caps = r_capabilities_current();
 	DepthTestFunc depth_func = r_depth_func_current();
 	CullFaceMode cull_mode = r_cull_current();
 
-	if(_r_sprite_batch.depth_test_enabled != depth_test_enabled) {
+	if(_r_sprite_batch.capbits != caps) {
 		r_flush_sprites();
-		_r_sprite_batch.depth_test_enabled = depth_test_enabled;
+		_r_sprite_batch.capbits = caps;
 	}
 
-	if(_r_sprite_batch.depth_write_enabled != depth_write_enabled) {
-		r_flush_sprites();
-		_r_sprite_batch.depth_write_enabled = depth_write_enabled;
-	}
-
-	if(_r_sprite_batch.cull_enabled != cull_enabled) {
-		r_flush_sprites();
-		_r_sprite_batch.cull_enabled = cull_enabled;
-	}
-
-	if(_r_sprite_batch.depth_func != depth_func) {
+	if((caps & r_capability_bit(RCAP_DEPTH_TEST)) && _r_sprite_batch.depth_func != depth_func) {
 		r_flush_sprites();
 		_r_sprite_batch.depth_func = depth_func;
 	}
 
-	if(_r_sprite_batch.cull_mode != cull_mode) {
+	if((caps & r_capability_bit(RCAP_CULL_FACE)) && _r_sprite_batch.cull_mode != cull_mode) {
 		r_flush_sprites();
 		_r_sprite_batch.cull_mode = cull_mode;
 	}
@@ -361,6 +371,8 @@ void r_draw_sprite(const SpriteParams *params) {
 	size_t remaining = SDL_RWsize(stream) - SDL_RWtell(stream);
 
 	if(remaining < SIZEOF_SPRITE_ATTRIBS) {
+		// TODO: maybe it is better to grow the buffer instead?
+
 		if(!r_supports(RFEAT_DRAW_INSTANCED_BASE_INSTANCE)) {
 			log_warn("Vertex buffer exhausted (%zu needed for next sprite, %zu remaining), flush forced", SIZEOF_SPRITE_ATTRIBS, remaining);
 		}
@@ -375,13 +387,13 @@ void r_draw_sprite(const SpriteParams *params) {
 #include "resource/font.h"
 
 void _r_sprite_batch_end_frame(void) {
-#ifdef DEBUG
+	r_flush_sprites();
+
+#if SPRITE_BATCH_STATS
 	if(!_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.flushes) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	r_flush_sprites();
-
 	static char buf[512];
 	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%6i sprites %6i flushes %9.02f spr/flush %6i best %6i worst",
 		_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats.sprites,
@@ -400,7 +412,6 @@ void _r_sprite_batch_end_frame(void) {
 	});
 
 	memset(&_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats, 0, sizeof(_r_sprite_batch.frame_stats));
-
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/gl33/gl33.c b/src/renderer/gl33/gl33.c
index 4bb27e65..232d782f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/gl33/gl33.c
+++ b/src/renderer/gl33/gl33.c
@@ -855,8 +855,8 @@ static SDL_Window* gl33_create_window(const char *title, int x, int y, int w, in
 	return window;
 }
 
-static bool gl33_supports(RendererFeature feature) {
-	return R.features & r_feature_bit(feature);
+static r_feature_bits_t gl33_features(void) {
+	return R.features;
 }
 
 static void gl33_capabilities(r_capability_bits_t capbits) {
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ RendererBackend _r_backend_gl33 = {
 		.post_init = gl33_post_init,
 		.shutdown = gl33_shutdown,
 		.create_window = gl33_create_window,
-		.supports = gl33_supports,
+		.features = gl33_features,
 		.capabilities = gl33_capabilities,
 		.capabilities_current = gl33_capabilities_current,
 		.draw = gl33_draw,
diff --git a/src/renderer/null/null.c b/src/renderer/null/null.c
index 55d0a480..746cc8c6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/null/null.c
+++ b/src/renderer/null/null.c
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ static void null_init(void) { }
 static void null_post_init(void) { }
 static void null_shutdown(void) { }
 
-static bool null_supports(RendererFeature feature) {
-	return true;
-}
+static r_feature_bits_t null_features(void) { return ~0; }
 
 static void null_capabilities(r_capability_bits_t capbits) { }
 static r_capability_bits_t null_capabilities_current(void) { return (r_capability_bits_t)-1; }
@@ -169,7 +167,7 @@ RendererBackend _r_backend_null = {
 		.post_init = null_post_init,
 		.shutdown = null_shutdown,
 		.create_window = null_create_window,
-		.supports = null_supports,
+		.features = null_features,
 		.capabilities = null_capabilities,
 		.capabilities_current = null_capabilities_current,
 		.draw = null_draw,