diff --git a/src/sna/sna_driver.c b/src/sna/sna_driver.c
index ffeaead5..b73f3c5a 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_driver.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_driver.c
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ static Bool sna_pre_init(ScrnInfoPtr scrn, int flags)
 	struct sna *sna;
 	rgb defaultWeight = { 0, 0, 0 };
 	EntityInfoPtr pEnt;
+	int preferred_depth;
 	int flags24;
 	Gamma zeros = { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 };
 	int fd;
@@ -508,7 +509,8 @@ static Bool sna_pre_init(ScrnInfoPtr scrn, int flags)
 
 	flags24 = Support32bppFb | PreferConvert24to32 | SupportConvert24to32;
 
-	if (!xf86SetDepthBpp(scrn, 0, 0, 0, flags24))
+	preferred_depth = sna->info->gen < 040 ? 16 : 24;
+	if (!xf86SetDepthBpp(scrn, preferred_depth, 0, 0, flags24))
 		return FALSE;
 
 	switch (scrn->depth) {