diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 8415627b4..49754ed17 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 
 // TODO: Refactor this shit
 
+#define MAX_RENDER_TIME_OFF 0
+#define MAX_RENDER_TIME_AUTO -2
+
 /**
  * Describes a variable created via the `set` command.
  */
diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 28be6a1e9..766958e86 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ struct sway_output {
 	uint32_t refresh_nsec;
 	int max_render_time; // In milliseconds
 	struct wl_event_source *repaint_timer;
+
+	struct timespec render_begin_time;
+	struct wlr_render_timestamp *render_end_ts;
+
+	int auto_max_render_time; // in milliseconds
+	// TODO: Make this adjustable:
+	uint8_t render_time_window[60];
+	int render_time_window_index;
 };
 
 struct sway_output_non_desktop {
diff --git a/sway/commands/output/max_render_time.c b/sway/commands/output/max_render_time.c
index 2d3cebe30..d45611468 100644
--- a/sway/commands/output/max_render_time.c
+++ b/sway/commands/output/max_render_time.c
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ struct cmd_results *output_cmd_max_render_time(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	int max_render_time;
 	if (!strcmp(*argv, "off")) {
-		max_render_time = 0;
+		max_render_time = MAX_RENDER_TIME_OFF;
+	} else if (!strcmp(*argv, "auto")) {
+		max_render_time = MAX_RENDER_TIME_AUTO;
 	} else {
 		char *end;
 		max_render_time = strtol(*argv, &end, 10);
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index e2e48e4cc..d57dc3dc0 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -581,6 +581,10 @@ bool apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Set %s max render time to %d",
 			oc->name, oc->max_render_time);
 		output->max_render_time = oc->max_render_time;
+	} else if (oc && oc->max_render_time == MAX_RENDER_TIME_AUTO) {
+		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Set %s max render time to auto",
+			oc->name);
+		output->max_render_time = -1;
 	}
 
 	// Reconfigure all devices, since input config may have been applied before
@@ -618,7 +622,7 @@ static void default_output_config(struct output_config *oc,
 	struct sway_output *output = wlr_output->data;
 	oc->subpixel = output->detected_subpixel;
 	oc->transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;
-	oc->max_render_time = 0;
+	oc->max_render_time = MAX_RENDER_TIME_OFF;
 }
 
 static struct output_config *get_output_config(char *identifier,
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index 409478a7c..a82d6d5d1 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -601,7 +601,14 @@ static void handle_frame(struct wl_listener *listener, void *user_data) {
 	// delaying both output rendering and surface frame callbacks.
 	int msec_until_refresh = 0;
 
-	if (output->max_render_time != 0) {
+	int max_render_time = 0;
+	if (output->max_render_time == -1) {
+		max_render_time = output->auto_max_render_time;
+	} else if (output->max_render_time != 0) {
+		max_render_time = output->max_render_time;
+	}
+
+	if (max_render_time != 0) {
 		struct timespec now;
 		clockid_t presentation_clock
 			= wlr_backend_get_presentation_clock(server.backend);
@@ -637,7 +644,7 @@ static void handle_frame(struct wl_listener *listener, void *user_data) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	int delay = msec_until_refresh - output->max_render_time;
+	int delay = msec_until_refresh - max_render_time;
 
 	// If the delay is less than 1 millisecond (which is the least we can wait)
 	// then just render right away.
@@ -795,6 +802,8 @@ static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_output *output = wl_container_of(listener, output, destroy);
 	struct sway_server *server = output->server;
 
+	wlr_render_timestamp_destroy(output->render_end_ts);
+
 	if (output->enabled) {
 		output_disable(output);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/render.c b/sway/desktop/render.c
index 4d242bd70..76a3a6e7e 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/render.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/render.c
@@ -1029,6 +1029,59 @@ static void render_seatops(struct sway_output *output,
 	}
 }
 
+uint8_t aggregate_render_times(struct sway_output *output, uint8_t in)
+{
+	int len = sizeof(output->render_time_window);
+
+	int i = output->render_time_window_index++;
+	if (output->render_time_window_index >= len) {
+		output->render_time_window_index = 0;
+	}
+	output->render_time_window[i] = in;
+
+	uint8_t max = 0;
+	for (int i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
+		uint8_t t = output->render_time_window[i];
+		if (t > max) {
+			max = t;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return max;
+}
+
+static void calculate_max_render_time(struct sway_output *output)
+{
+	struct timespec ts;
+	if (!wlr_render_timestamp_get_time(output->render_end_ts, &ts)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	uint64_t end_time_us = ts.tv_sec * UINT64_C(1000000) +
+		ts.tv_nsec / UINT64_C(1000);
+
+	uint64_t begin_time_us =
+		output->render_begin_time.tv_sec * UINT64_C(1000000) +
+		output->render_begin_time.tv_nsec / UINT64_C(1000);
+
+	if (begin_time_us > end_time_us) {
+		// rollover
+		return;
+	}
+
+	uint64_t duration_us = end_time_us - begin_time_us;
+
+	int dt_ms = ceil(duration_us / 1e3);
+	int max = aggregate_render_times(output, dt_ms);
+
+	if (max != output->auto_max_render_time) {
+		output->auto_max_render_time = max;
+
+		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG,
+			"Adjusted output max_render_time to %d ms", max);
+	}
+}
+
 void output_render(struct sway_output *output, struct timespec *when,
 		pixman_region32_t *damage) {
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
@@ -1044,7 +1097,14 @@ void output_render(struct sway_output *output, struct timespec *when,
 		fullscreen_con = workspace->current.fullscreen;
 	}
 
+	if (output->max_render_time == -1 && output->render_end_ts) {
+		calculate_max_render_time(output);
+		wlr_render_timestamp_destroy(output->render_end_ts);
+		output->render_end_ts = NULL;
+	}
+
 	wlr_renderer_begin(renderer, wlr_output->width, wlr_output->height);
+	wlr_renderer_get_time(renderer, &output->render_begin_time);
 
 	if (debug.damage == DAMAGE_RERENDER) {
 		int width, height;
@@ -1181,6 +1241,7 @@ render_overlay:
 renderer_end:
 	wlr_renderer_scissor(renderer, NULL);
 	wlr_output_render_software_cursors(wlr_output, damage);
+	output->render_end_ts = wlr_renderer_create_timestamp(renderer);
 	wlr_renderer_end(renderer);
 
 	int width, height;
diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index 8aa9557e9..71bb4a59c 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -395,7 +395,14 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_enabled_output(struct sway_output *output,
 		json_object_object_add(object, "percent", json_object_new_double(percent));
 	}
 
-	json_object_object_add(object, "max_render_time", json_object_new_int(output->max_render_time));
+	int max_render_time;
+	if (output->max_render_time == -1) {
+		max_render_time = -output->auto_max_render_time;
+	} else {
+		max_render_time = output->max_render_time;
+	}
+	json_object_object_add(object, "max_render_time",
+		json_object_new_int(max_render_time));
 }
 
 json_object *ipc_json_describe_disabled_output(struct sway_output *output) {
diff --git a/swaymsg/main.c b/swaymsg/main.c
index c0b5809ed..b3ae97ba6 100644
--- a/swaymsg/main.c
+++ b/swaymsg/main.c
@@ -249,8 +249,15 @@ static void pretty_print_output(json_object *o) {
 		);
 
 		int max_render_time_int = json_object_get_int(max_render_time);
+
 		printf("  Max render time: ");
-		printf(max_render_time_int == 0 ? "off\n" : "%d ms\n", max_render_time_int);
+		if (max_render_time_int == 0) {
+			printf("off\n");
+		} else if (max_render_time_int > 0) {
+			printf("%d ms\n", max_render_time_int);
+		} else {
+			printf("%d ms (auto)\n", -max_render_time_int);
+		}
 
 		printf("  Adaptive sync: %s\n",
 			json_object_get_string(adaptive_sync_status));