diff --git a/include/render/gles2.h b/include/render/gles2.h
index 6631d34ce..b3ac31195 100644
--- a/include/render/gles2.h
+++ b/include/render/gles2.h
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ struct wlr_gles2_texture {
 	struct wlr_addon buffer_addon;
 };
 
+enum wlr_gles2_shader_source {
+	WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR = 1,
+	WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBA = 2,
+	WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBX = 3,
+	WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL = 4,
+};
 
 bool is_gles2_pixel_format_supported(const struct wlr_gles2_renderer *renderer,
 	const struct wlr_gles2_pixel_format *format);
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a180b43c0..45eeabaa6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ project(
 	'c',
 	version: '0.16.0-dev',
 	license: 'MIT',
-	meson_version: '>=0.58.1',
+	meson_version: '>=0.59.0',
 	default_options: [
 		'c_std=c11',
 		'warning_level=2',
diff --git a/render/gles2/meson.build b/render/gles2/meson.build
index 504f0c11e..c92269837 100644
--- a/render/gles2/meson.build
+++ b/render/gles2/meson.build
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ wlr_deps += glesv2
 wlr_files += files(
 	'pixel_format.c',
 	'renderer.c',
-	'shaders.c',
 	'texture.c',
 )
+
+subdir('shaders')
diff --git a/render/gles2/renderer.c b/render/gles2/renderer.c
index aa1adabea..21bfdff5e 100644
--- a/render/gles2/renderer.c
+++ b/render/gles2/renderer.c
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 #include "render/pixel_format.h"
 #include "types/wlr_matrix.h"
 
+#include "common_vert_src.h"
+#include "common_frag_src.h"
+
 static const GLfloat verts[] = {
 	1, 0, // top right
 	0, 0, // top left
@@ -580,11 +583,11 @@ static void gles2_log(GLenum src, GLenum type, GLuint id, GLenum severity,
 }
 
 static GLuint compile_shader(struct wlr_gles2_renderer *renderer,
-		GLuint type, const GLchar *src) {
+		GLuint type, const GLchar **srcs, size_t srcs_len) {
 	push_gles2_debug(renderer);
 
 	GLuint shader = glCreateShader(type);
-	glShaderSource(shader, 1, &src, NULL);
+	glShaderSource(shader, srcs_len, srcs, NULL);
 	glCompileShader(shader);
 
 	GLint ok;
@@ -600,15 +603,22 @@ static GLuint compile_shader(struct wlr_gles2_renderer *renderer,
 }
 
 static GLuint link_program(struct wlr_gles2_renderer *renderer,
-		const GLchar *vert_src, const GLchar *frag_src) {
+		enum wlr_gles2_shader_source source) {
+	static char frag_preamble[1024];
+	snprintf(frag_preamble, sizeof(frag_preamble),
+		"#define SOURCE %d\n", source);
+
 	push_gles2_debug(renderer);
 
-	GLuint vert = compile_shader(renderer, GL_VERTEX_SHADER, vert_src);
+	const GLchar *vert_src = common_vert_src;
+	GLuint vert = compile_shader(renderer, GL_VERTEX_SHADER, &vert_src, 1);
 	if (!vert) {
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	GLuint frag = compile_shader(renderer, GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, frag_src);
+	const GLchar *frag_srcs[2] = { frag_preamble, common_frag_src };
+	GLuint frag =
+		compile_shader(renderer, GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, frag_srcs, 2);
 	if (!frag) {
 		glDeleteShader(vert);
 		goto error;
@@ -640,6 +650,23 @@ error:
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static bool link_tex_program(struct wlr_gles2_renderer *renderer,
+		struct wlr_gles2_tex_shader *shader,
+		enum wlr_gles2_shader_source source) {
+	shader->program = link_program(renderer, source);
+	if (!shader->program) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	shader->proj = glGetUniformLocation(shader->program, "proj");
+	shader->tex = glGetUniformLocation(shader->program, "tex");
+	shader->alpha = glGetUniformLocation(shader->program, "alpha");
+	shader->pos_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(shader->program, "pos");
+	shader->tex_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(shader->program, "texcoord");
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 static bool check_gl_ext(const char *exts, const char *ext) {
 	size_t extlen = strlen(ext);
 	const char *end = exts + strlen(exts);
@@ -667,13 +694,6 @@ static void load_gl_proc(void *proc_ptr, const char *name) {
 	*(void **)proc_ptr = proc;
 }
 
-extern const GLchar quad_vertex_src[];
-extern const GLchar quad_fragment_src[];
-extern const GLchar tex_vertex_src[];
-extern const GLchar tex_fragment_src_rgba[];
-extern const GLchar tex_fragment_src_rgbx[];
-extern const GLchar tex_fragment_src_external[];
-
 struct wlr_renderer *wlr_gles2_renderer_create_with_drm_fd(int drm_fd) {
 	struct wlr_egl *egl = wlr_egl_create_with_drm_fd(drm_fd);
 	if (egl == NULL) {
@@ -786,7 +806,7 @@ struct wlr_renderer *wlr_gles2_renderer_create(struct wlr_egl *egl) {
 
 	GLuint prog;
 	renderer->shaders.quad.program = prog =
-		link_program(renderer, quad_vertex_src, quad_fragment_src);
+		link_program(renderer, WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR);
 	if (!renderer->shaders.quad.program) {
 		goto error;
 	}
@@ -794,39 +814,18 @@ struct wlr_renderer *wlr_gles2_renderer_create(struct wlr_egl *egl) {
 	renderer->shaders.quad.color = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "color");
 	renderer->shaders.quad.pos_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "pos");
 
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.program = prog =
-		link_program(renderer, tex_vertex_src, tex_fragment_src_rgba);
-	if (!renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.program) {
+	if (!link_tex_program(renderer, &renderer->shaders.tex_rgba,
+			WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBA)) {
 		goto error;
 	}
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.proj = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "proj");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.tex = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "tex");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.alpha = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "alpha");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.pos_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "pos");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgba.tex_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "texcoord");
-
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.program = prog =
-		link_program(renderer, tex_vertex_src, tex_fragment_src_rgbx);
-	if (!renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.program) {
+	if (!link_tex_program(renderer, &renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx,
+			WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBX)) {
 		goto error;
 	}
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.proj = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "proj");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.tex = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "tex");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.alpha = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "alpha");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.pos_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "pos");
-	renderer->shaders.tex_rgbx.tex_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "texcoord");
-
-	if (renderer->exts.OES_egl_image_external) {
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.program = prog =
-			link_program(renderer, tex_vertex_src, tex_fragment_src_external);
-		if (!renderer->shaders.tex_ext.program) {
-			goto error;
-		}
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.proj = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "proj");
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.tex = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "tex");
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.alpha = glGetUniformLocation(prog, "alpha");
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.pos_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "pos");
-		renderer->shaders.tex_ext.tex_attrib = glGetAttribLocation(prog, "texcoord");
+	if (renderer->exts.OES_egl_image_external &&
+			!link_tex_program(renderer, &renderer->shaders.tex_ext,
+			WLR_GLES2_SHADER_SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL)) {
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	pop_gles2_debug(renderer);
diff --git a/render/gles2/shaders.c b/render/gles2/shaders.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 7898059ed..000000000
--- a/render/gles2/shaders.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-#include <GLES2/gl2.h>
-#include "render/gles2.h"
-
-// Colored quads
-const GLchar quad_vertex_src[] =
-"uniform mat3 proj;\n"
-"uniform vec4 color;\n"
-"attribute vec2 pos;\n"
-"attribute vec2 texcoord;\n"
-"varying vec4 v_color;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_Position = vec4(proj * vec3(pos, 1.0), 1.0);\n"
-"	v_color = color;\n"
-"	v_texcoord = texcoord;\n"
-"}\n";
-
-const GLchar quad_fragment_src[] =
-"precision mediump float;\n"
-"varying vec4 v_color;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_FragColor = v_color;\n"
-"}\n";
-
-// Textured quads
-const GLchar tex_vertex_src[] =
-"uniform mat3 proj;\n"
-"attribute vec2 pos;\n"
-"attribute vec2 texcoord;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_Position = vec4(proj * vec3(pos, 1.0), 1.0);\n"
-"	v_texcoord = texcoord;\n"
-"}\n";
-
-const GLchar tex_fragment_src_rgba[] =
-"precision mediump float;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"uniform sampler2D tex;\n"
-"uniform float alpha;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_FragColor = texture2D(tex, v_texcoord) * alpha;\n"
-"}\n";
-
-const GLchar tex_fragment_src_rgbx[] =
-"precision mediump float;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"uniform sampler2D tex;\n"
-"uniform float alpha;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_FragColor = vec4(texture2D(tex, v_texcoord).rgb, 1.0) * alpha;\n"
-"}\n";
-
-const GLchar tex_fragment_src_external[] =
-"#extension GL_OES_EGL_image_external : require\n\n"
-"precision mediump float;\n"
-"varying vec2 v_texcoord;\n"
-"uniform samplerExternalOES texture0;\n"
-"uniform float alpha;\n"
-"\n"
-"void main() {\n"
-"	gl_FragColor = texture2D(texture0, v_texcoord) * alpha;\n"
-"}\n";
diff --git a/render/gles2/shaders/common.frag b/render/gles2/shaders/common.frag
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd178a722
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/gles2/shaders/common.frag
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/* enum wlr_gles2_shader_source */
+#define SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR 1
+#define SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBA 2
+#define SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBX 3
+#define SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL 4
+
+#if !defined(SOURCE)
+#error "Missing shader preamble"
+#endif
+
+#if SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL
+#extension GL_OES_EGL_image_external : require
+#endif
+
+precision mediump float;
+
+varying vec2 v_texcoord;
+
+#if SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL
+uniform samplerExternalOES tex;
+#elif SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBA || SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBX
+uniform sampler2D tex;
+#elif SOURCE == SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR
+uniform vec4 color;
+#endif
+
+#if SOURCE != SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR
+uniform float alpha;
+#else
+const float alpha = 1.0;
+#endif
+
+vec4 sample_texture() {
+#if SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBA || SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL
+	return texture2D(tex, v_texcoord);
+#elif SOURCE == SOURCE_TEXTURE_RGBX
+	return vec4(texture2D(tex, v_texcoord).rgb, 1.0);
+#elif SOURCE == SOURCE_SINGLE_COLOR
+	return color;
+#endif
+}
+
+void main() {
+	gl_FragColor = sample_texture() * alpha;
+}
diff --git a/render/gles2/shaders/common.vert b/render/gles2/shaders/common.vert
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9cebb458f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/gles2/shaders/common.vert
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+uniform mat3 proj;
+attribute vec2 pos;
+attribute vec2 texcoord;
+varying vec2 v_texcoord;
+
+void main() {
+	gl_Position = vec4(proj * vec3(pos, 1.0), 1.0);
+	v_texcoord = texcoord;
+}
diff --git a/render/gles2/shaders/embed.sh b/render/gles2/shaders/embed.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..acd7a1199
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/gles2/shaders/embed.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh -eu
+
+var=${1:-data}
+hex="$(od -A n -t x1 -v)"
+
+echo "static const char $var[] = {"
+for byte in $hex; do
+	echo "	0x$byte,"
+done
+echo "	0x00,"
+echo "};"
diff --git a/render/gles2/shaders/meson.build b/render/gles2/shaders/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62fbe8ce2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/gles2/shaders/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+embed = find_program('./embed.sh', native: true)
+
+shaders = [
+	'common.vert',
+	'common.frag',
+]
+
+foreach name : shaders
+	output = name.underscorify() + '_src.h'
+	var = name.underscorify() + '_src'
+	wlr_files += custom_target(
+		output,
+		command: [embed, var],
+		input: name,
+		output: output,
+		feed: true,
+		capture: true,
+	)
+endforeach