diff --git a/include/labwc.h b/include/labwc.h
index 09fdca7b..29f72c39 100644
--- a/include/labwc.h
+++ b/include/labwc.h
@@ -406,8 +406,6 @@ struct output {
 
 	bool leased;
 	bool gamma_lut_changed;
-
-	uint32_t nr_tearing_failures;
 };
 
 #undef LAB_NR_LAYERS
diff --git a/src/common/scene-helpers.c b/src/common/scene-helpers.c
index 6f3ee373..a672bb56 100644
--- a/src/common/scene-helpers.c
+++ b/src/common/scene-helpers.c
@@ -107,6 +107,14 @@ lab_wlr_scene_output_commit(struct wlr_scene_output *scene_output,
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	if (state->tearing_page_flip) {
+		if (!wlr_output_test_state(wlr_output, state)) {
+			wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Output test for tearing failed on %s, "
+				"trying page-flip without tearing", wlr_output->name);
+			state->tearing_page_flip = false;
+		}
+	}
+
 	struct wlr_box additional_damage = {0};
 	if (state->buffer && is_magnify_on()) {
 		magnify(output, state->buffer, &additional_damage);
diff --git a/src/output.c b/src/output.c
index cd7299b1..0eee6331 100644
--- a/src/output.c
+++ b/src/output.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
 #include "view.h"
 #include "xwayland.h"
 
-static unsigned int
-get_tearing_retry_count(struct output *output)
-{
-	/* Two seconds worth of frames, guessing 60Hz if refresh is invalid */
-	int refresh = output->wlr_output->refresh;
-	return refresh > 0 ? refresh / 500 : 120;
-}
-
 bool
 output_get_tearing_allowance(struct output *output)
 {
@@ -57,11 +49,6 @@ output_get_tearing_allowance(struct output *output)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	/* tearing should not have failed too many times */
-	if (output->nr_tearing_failures >= get_tearing_retry_count(output)) {
-		return false;
-	}
-
 	/* allow tearing for any window when requested or forced */
 	if (rc.allow_tearing == LAB_TEARING_ENABLED) {
 		if (view->force_tearing == LAB_STATE_UNSPECIFIED) {
@@ -154,22 +141,7 @@ output_frame_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 
 		pending->tearing_page_flip = output_get_tearing_allowance(output);
 
-		bool committed =
-			lab_wlr_scene_output_commit(scene_output, pending);
-
-		if (pending->tearing_page_flip) {
-			if (committed) {
-				output->nr_tearing_failures = 0;
-			} else {
-				if (++output->nr_tearing_failures >=
-						get_tearing_retry_count(output)) {
-					wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "setting tearing allowance failed "
-						"for two consecutive seconds, disabling");
-				}
-				pending->tearing_page_flip = false;
-				lab_wlr_scene_output_commit(scene_output, pending);
-			}
-		}
+		lab_wlr_scene_output_commit(scene_output, pending);
 	}
 
 	struct timespec now = { 0 };