diff --git a/src/sna/sna_accel.c b/src/sna/sna_accel.c
index 3150dd5b..38ca366a 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_accel.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_accel.c
@@ -17405,11 +17405,14 @@ static bool has_offload_slaves(struct sna *sna)
 
 static bool has_shadow(struct sna *sna)
 {
-	DamagePtr damage = sna->mode.shadow_damage;
+	DamagePtr damage;
 
-	if (damage == NULL)
+	if (!sna->mode.shadow_enabled)
 		return false;
 
+	damage = sna->mode.shadow_damage;
+	assert(damage);
+
 	DBG(("%s: has pending damage? %d, outstanding flips: %d\n",
 	     __FUNCTION__,
 	     RegionNotEmpty(DamageRegion(damage)),
diff --git a/src/sna/sna_display.c b/src/sna/sna_display.c
index d141b4c2..9a660693 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_display.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_display.c
@@ -1281,6 +1281,7 @@ static bool wait_for_shadow(struct sna *sna,
 	}
 
 	assert(sna->mode.shadow_active);
+	assert(sna->mode.shadow_enabled);
 	sna->mode.shadow_enabled = false;
 
 	flip_active = sna->mode.flip_active;
diff --git a/src/sna/sna_driver.c b/src/sna/sna_driver.c
index de2bb770..43d2707d 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_driver.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_driver.c
@@ -681,9 +681,10 @@ cleanup:
 
 static bool has_shadow(struct sna *sna)
 {
-	if (!sna->mode.shadow_damage)
+	if (!sna->mode.shadow_enabled)
 		return false;
 
+	assert(sna->mode.shadow_damage);
 	if (RegionNil(DamageRegion(sna->mode.shadow_damage)))
 		return false;
 
diff --git a/src/sna/sna_present.c b/src/sna/sna_present.c
index 1fb059a5..327ed218 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_present.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_present.c
@@ -689,8 +689,11 @@ sna_present_flip(RRCrtcPtr crtc,
 
 	assert(sna->present.unflip == 0);
 
-	if (sna->flags & SNA_TEAR_FREE)
+	if (sna->flags & SNA_TEAR_FREE) {
+		DBG(("%s: disabling TearFree (was %s) in favour of Present flips\n",
+		     __FUNCTION__, sna->mode.shadow_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled"));
 		sna->mode.shadow_enabled = false;
+	}
 	assert(!sna->mode.shadow_enabled);
 
 	if (sna->mode.flip_active) {
@@ -739,8 +742,12 @@ notify:
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (sna->flags & SNA_TEAR_FREE)
+	assert(!sna->mode.shadow_enabled);
+	if (sna->flags & SNA_TEAR_FREE) {
+		DBG(("%s: %s TearFree after Present flips\n",
+		     __FUNCTION__, sna->mode.shadow_damage != NULL ? "enabling" : "disabling"));
 		sna->mode.shadow_enabled = sna->mode.shadow_damage != NULL;
+	}
 
 	bo = get_flip_bo(screen->GetScreenPixmap(screen));
 	if (bo == NULL) {