diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
index 38883c5aa5..15074f83ab 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
@@ -2187,6 +2187,16 @@ gst_glimage_sink_on_resize (GstGLImageSink * gl_sink, gint width, gint height)
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (gl_sink, "GL output area now %u,%u %ux%u",
         gl_sink->display_rect.x, gl_sink->display_rect.y,
         gl_sink->display_rect.w, gl_sink->display_rect.h);
+  } else {
+    gint viewport_dims[4];
+
+    /* save the viewport for use later */
+    gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dims);
+
+    gl_sink->display_rect.x = viewport_dims[0];
+    gl_sink->display_rect.y = viewport_dims[1];
+    gl_sink->display_rect.w = viewport_dims[2];
+    gl_sink->display_rect.h = viewport_dims[3];
   }
   GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
 }
@@ -2234,6 +2244,10 @@ gst_glimage_sink_on_draw (GstGLImageSink * gl_sink)
   gst_gl_context_clear_shader (gl_sink->context);
   gl->BindTexture (gl_target, 0);
 
+  if (!gst_gl_window_controls_viewport (window))
+    gl->Viewport (gl_sink->display_rect.x, gl_sink->display_rect.y,
+        gl_sink->display_rect.w, gl_sink->display_rect.h);
+
   sample = gst_sample_new (gl_sink->stored_buffer[0],
       gl_sink->out_caps, &GST_BASE_SINK (gl_sink)->segment, NULL);
   g_signal_emit (gl_sink, gst_glimage_sink_signals[CLIENT_DRAW_SIGNAL], 0,
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
index 065d596de7..254a3f21f4 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
@@ -206,15 +206,21 @@ _context_ready (gpointer data)
    * the CA viewport set up on entry to this function */
   gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, ca_viewport);
 
+  GST_TRACE ("retrieved viewport from CA %u,%u %ux%u", self->expected_dims[0],
+      self->expected_dims[1], self->expected_dims[2], self->expected_dims[3]);
   gst_gl_context_activate (self->draw_context, TRUE);
   if (self->queue_resize || self->last_bounds.size.width != self.bounds.size.width
       || self->last_bounds.size.height != self.bounds.size.height) {
     if (self->resize_cb) {
-      self->resize_cb (self->resize_data, 
+      self->resize_cb (self->resize_data,
           self.bounds.size.width*self.contentsScale,
           self.bounds.size.height*self.contentsScale);
 
       gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, self->expected_dims);
+
+      GST_LOG ("resize callback wants viewport %u,%u %ux%u",
+          self->expected_dims[0], self->expected_dims[1],
+          self->expected_dims[2], self->expected_dims[3]);
     } else {
       /* default to whatever ca gives us */
       self->expected_dims[0] = ca_viewport[0];
@@ -239,6 +245,8 @@ _context_ready (gpointer data)
 
   gst_video_sink_center_rect (src, dst, &result, TRUE);
 
+  GST_TRACE ("Using viewport %u,%u %ux%u", result.x, result.y, result.w,
+      result.h);
   gl->Viewport (result.x, result.y, result.w, result.h);
 
   if (self->draw_cb)
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
index 91c1187ef3..996c2ea466 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ static void gst_gl_window_cocoa_send_message_async (GstGLWindow * window,
     GstGLWindowCB callback, gpointer data, GDestroyNotify destroy);
 static gboolean gst_gl_window_cocoa_set_render_rectangle (GstGLWindow * window,
     gint x, gint y, gint width, gint height);
+static gboolean gst_gl_window_cocoa_controls_viewport (GstGLWindow * window);
+
 
 struct _GstGLWindowCocoaPrivate
 {
@@ -125,6 +127,8 @@ gst_gl_window_cocoa_class_init (GstGLWindowCocoaClass * klass)
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_cocoa_send_message_async);
   window_class->set_render_rectangle =
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_cocoa_set_render_rectangle);
+  window_class->controls_viewport =
+      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_cocoa_controls_viewport);
 
   gobject_class->finalize = gst_gl_window_cocoa_finalize;
 }
@@ -387,9 +391,11 @@ gst_gl_cocoa_draw_cb (GstGLWindowCocoa *window_cocoa)
   GstGLNSWindow *internal_win_id = (__bridge GstGLNSWindow *)priv->internal_win_id;
 
   if (internal_win_id && ![internal_win_id isClosed]) {
-   GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
+    GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
 
     /* draw opengl scene in the back buffer */
+    /* We do not need to change viewports like in other window implementations
+     * as the caopengllayer will take care of that for us. */
     if (window->draw)
       window->draw (window->draw_data);
   }
@@ -409,6 +415,7 @@ gst_gl_cocoa_resize_cb (GstGLNSView * view, guint width, guint height)
     NSRect bounds = [view bounds];
     NSRect visibleRect = [view visibleRect];
     gint viewport_dim[4];
+    GstVideoRectangle viewport;
 
     gl = context->gl_vtable;
 
@@ -417,19 +424,30 @@ gst_gl_cocoa_resize_cb (GstGLNSView * view, guint width, guint height)
     visibleRect = [view convertRectToBacking:visibleRect];
 #endif
 
+    /* don't use the default gst_gl_window_resize() as that will marshal through
+     * the GL thread.  We are being called from the main thread by the
+     * caopengllayer */
+    if (window->resize)
+      window->resize (window->resize_data, width, height);
+
+    gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
+
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (window, "Window resized: bounds %lf %lf %lf %lf "
-                      "visibleRect %lf %lf %lf %lf",
+                      "visibleRect %lf %lf %lf %lf, "
+                      "viewport dimensions %i %i %i %i",
                       bounds.origin.x, bounds.origin.y,
                       bounds.size.width, bounds.size.height,
                       visibleRect.origin.x, visibleRect.origin.y,
-                      visibleRect.size.width, visibleRect.size.height);
+                      visibleRect.size.width, visibleRect.size.height,
+                      viewport_dim[0], viewport_dim[1], viewport_dim[2],
+                      viewport_dim[3]);
 
-    gst_gl_window_resize (window, width, height);
-    gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
+    viewport.x = viewport_dim[0] - visibleRect.origin.x;
+    viewport.x = viewport_dim[1] - visibleRect.origin.y;
+    viewport.w = viewport_dim[2];
+    viewport.h = viewport_dim[3];
 
-    gl->Viewport (viewport_dim[0] - visibleRect.origin.x,
-                  viewport_dim[1] - visibleRect.origin.y,
-                  viewport_dim[2], viewport_dim[3]);
+    gl->Viewport (viewport.x, viewport.y, viewport.w, viewport.h);
   }
 
   gst_object_unref (context);
@@ -532,6 +550,12 @@ gst_gl_window_cocoa_set_render_rectangle (GstGLWindow * window, gint x, gint y,
  return TRUE;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+gst_gl_window_cocoa_controls_viewport (GstGLWindow * window)
+{
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
 /* =============================================================*/
 /*                                                              */
 /*                    GstGLNSWindow implementation              */
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcolorconvert.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcolorconvert.c
index 9fa123a42d..351d8598af 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcolorconvert.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcolorconvert.c
@@ -2531,8 +2531,6 @@ _do_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLColorConvert * convert)
   gint i;
   gboolean ret = TRUE;
 
-  GLint viewport_dim[4] = { 0 };
-
   GLenum multipleRT[] = {
     GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0,
     GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT1,
@@ -2555,8 +2553,6 @@ _do_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLColorConvert * convert)
   else if (gl->DrawBuffer)
     gl->DrawBuffer (GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0);
 
-  gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
-
   gst_gl_framebuffer_get_effective_dimensions (convert->fbo, &out_width,
       &out_height);
   gl->Viewport (0, 0, out_width, out_height);
@@ -2598,9 +2594,6 @@ _do_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLColorConvert * convert)
   /* we are done with the shader */
   gst_gl_context_clear_shader (context);
 
-  gl->Viewport (viewport_dim[0], viewport_dim[1], viewport_dim[2],
-      viewport_dim[3]);
-
   if (!gst_gl_context_check_framebuffer_status (context, GL_FRAMEBUFFER))
     ret = FALSE;
 
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglframebuffer.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglframebuffer.c
index 98eee348f4..19307ca0bd 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglframebuffer.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglframebuffer.c
@@ -269,7 +269,6 @@ gboolean
 gst_gl_framebuffer_draw_to_texture (GstGLFramebuffer * fb, GstGLMemory * mem,
     GstGLFramebufferFunc func, gpointer user_data)
 {
-  GLint viewport_dim[4] = { 0 };
   const GstGLFuncs *gl;
   gboolean ret;
 
@@ -285,7 +284,6 @@ gst_gl_framebuffer_draw_to_texture (GstGLFramebuffer * fb, GstGLMemory * mem,
   gst_gl_framebuffer_bind (fb);
   gst_gl_framebuffer_attach (fb, GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0, (GstGLBaseMemory *) mem);
 
-  gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
   gl->Viewport (0, 0, fb->priv->effective_width, fb->priv->effective_height);
   if (gst_gl_context_get_gl_api (fb->context) & (GST_GL_API_OPENGL |
           GST_GL_API_OPENGL3))
@@ -296,8 +294,6 @@ gst_gl_framebuffer_draw_to_texture (GstGLFramebuffer * fb, GstGLMemory * mem,
   if (gst_gl_context_get_gl_api (fb->context) & (GST_GL_API_OPENGL |
           GST_GL_API_OPENGL3))
     gl->DrawBuffer (GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0);
-  gl->Viewport (viewport_dim[0], viewport_dim[1], viewport_dim[2],
-      viewport_dim[3]);
   gst_gl_context_clear_framebuffer (fb->context);
 
   return ret;
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglviewconvert.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglviewconvert.c
index 20a94d03b3..89f2e50e6b 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglviewconvert.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglviewconvert.c
@@ -1850,7 +1850,6 @@ _do_view_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLViewConvert * viewconvert)
   GstGLFuncs *gl;
   guint out_width, out_height;
   gint out_views, i;
-  GLint viewport_dim[4] = { 0 };
   GLenum multipleRT[] = {
     GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0,
     GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT1,
@@ -1886,7 +1885,6 @@ _do_view_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLViewConvert * viewconvert)
 
   gst_gl_framebuffer_get_effective_dimensions (viewconvert->fbo, &out_width,
       &out_height);
-  gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
   gl->Viewport (0, 0, out_width, out_height);
 
   gst_gl_shader_use (viewconvert->shader);
@@ -1934,8 +1932,6 @@ _do_view_convert_draw (GstGLContext * context, GstGLViewConvert * viewconvert)
     gl->DrawBuffer (GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0);
   /* we are done with the shader */
   gst_gl_context_clear_shader (context);
-  gl->Viewport (viewport_dim[0], viewport_dim[1], viewport_dim[2],
-      viewport_dim[3]);
   gst_gl_context_clear_framebuffer (context);
 
   return TRUE;
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
index 17ad5edcce..1044b98580 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
@@ -975,6 +975,20 @@ gst_gl_window_resize (GstGLWindow * window, guint width, guint height)
   window->queue_resize = FALSE;
 }
 
+gboolean
+gst_gl_window_controls_viewport (GstGLWindow * window)
+{
+  GstGLWindowClass *window_class;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_GL_WINDOW (window), FALSE);
+  window_class = GST_GL_WINDOW_GET_CLASS (window);
+
+  if (!window_class->controls_viewport)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  return window_class->controls_viewport (window);
+}
+
 static GType gst_gl_dummy_window_get_type (void);
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstGLDummyWindow, gst_gl_dummy_window, GST_TYPE_GL_WINDOW);
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
index ece8d315b0..9d68a244c0 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ struct _GstGLWindow {
  * @show: request that the window be shown to the user
  * @set_render_rectangle: request a rectangle to render into.  See #GstVideoOverlay
  * @queue_resize: request a resize to occur when possible
+ * @controls_viewport: Whether the window takes care of glViewport setup.
+ *                     and the user does not need to deal with viewports
  */
 struct _GstGLWindowClass {
   GstObjectClass parent_class;
@@ -168,9 +170,10 @@ struct _GstGLWindowClass {
   void     (*show)               (GstGLWindow *window);
   gboolean (*set_render_rectangle)(GstGLWindow *window, gint x, gint y, gint width, gint height);
   void     (*queue_resize)       (GstGLWindow *window);
+  gboolean (*controls_viewport)  (GstGLWindow *window);
 
   /*< private >*/
-  gpointer _reserved[GST_PADDING];
+  gpointer _reserved[GST_PADDING-1];
 };
 
 GST_GL_API
@@ -250,6 +253,8 @@ gboolean gst_gl_window_set_render_rectangle   (GstGLWindow * window,
                                                gint y,
                                                gint width,
                                                gint height);
+GST_GL_API
+gboolean gst_gl_window_controls_viewport      (GstGLWindow * window);
 
 /* subclass usage only */
 GST_GL_API
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.c
index 8d6fceb80b..40b8c73a48 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ static void gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_draw (GstGLWindow * window);
 static gboolean
 gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_set_render_rectangle (GstGLWindow * window,
     gint x, gint y, gint width, gint height);
+static gboolean gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_controls_viewport (GstGLWindow *
+    window);
 
 static void
 gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_class_init (GstGLWindowVivFBEGLClass * klass)
@@ -63,6 +65,8 @@ gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_class_init (GstGLWindowVivFBEGLClass * klass)
   window_class->draw = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_draw);
   window_class->set_render_rectangle =
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_set_render_rectangle);
+  window_class->controls_viewport =
+      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_controls_viewport);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -179,12 +183,15 @@ draw_cb (gpointer data)
     gst_gl_window_resize (window, width, height);
 
     gl->GetIntegerv (GL_VIEWPORT, viewport_dim);
-    viewport_dim[0] += window_egl->render_rectangle.x;
-    viewport_dim[1] += window_egl->render_rectangle.y;
-    gl->Viewport (viewport_dim[0],
-        viewport_dim[1], viewport_dim[2], viewport_dim[3]);
+    window_egl->viewport.x = viewport_dim[0] + window_egl->render_rectangle.x;
+    window_egl->viewport.y = viewport_dim[1] + window_egl->render_rectangle.y;
+    window_egl->viewport.w = viewport_dim[2];
+    window_egl->viewport.h = viewport_dim[2];
   }
 
+  gl->Viewport (window_egl->viewport.x, window_egl->viewport.y,
+      window_egl->viewport.w, window_egl->viewport.h);
+
   if (window->draw)
     window->draw (window->draw_data);
 
@@ -263,3 +270,9 @@ gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_set_render_rectangle (GstGLWindow * window,
 
   return TRUE;
 }
+
+static gboolean
+gst_gl_window_viv_fb_egl_controls_viewport (GstGLWindow * window)
+{
+  return TRUE;
+}
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.h b/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.h
index 60205e0dcb..244e66368f 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/viv-fb/gstglwindow_viv_fb_egl.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct _GstGLWindowVivFBEGL {
   gint window_width, window_height;
 
   GstVideoRectangle render_rectangle;
+  GstVideoRectangle viewport;
 };
 
 struct _GstGLWindowVivFBEGLClass {