diff --git a/backend/drm/atomic.c b/backend/drm/atomic.c
index 530ee2545..8b98e4fab 100644
--- a/backend/drm/atomic.c
+++ b/backend/drm/atomic.c
@@ -335,6 +335,10 @@ static bool atomic_crtc_commit(struct wlr_drm_connector *conn,
 	if (modeset && active && conn->props.max_bpc != 0 && conn->max_bpc_bounds[1] != 0) {
 		atomic_add(&atom, conn->id, conn->props.max_bpc, pick_max_bpc(conn, state->primary_fb));
 	}
+	if (modeset && active && conn->props.force_color_format && state->base->color_format) {
+		uint32_t format = 1 << (state->base->color_format - 1);
+		atomic_add(&atom, conn->id, conn->props.force_color_format, format);
+	}
 	atomic_add(&atom, crtc->id, crtc->props.mode_id, mode_id);
 	atomic_add(&atom, crtc->id, crtc->props.active, active);
 	if (active) {
diff --git a/backend/drm/properties.c b/backend/drm/properties.c
index 4f4951771..c8337d10d 100644
--- a/backend/drm/properties.c
+++ b/backend/drm/properties.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ static const struct prop_info connector_info[] = {
 	{ "EDID", INDEX(edid) },
 	{ "PATH", INDEX(path) },
 	{ "content type", INDEX(content_type) },
+	{ "force color format", INDEX(force_color_format) },
 	{ "link-status", INDEX(link_status) },
 	{ "max bpc", INDEX(max_bpc) },
 	{ "non-desktop", INDEX(non_desktop) },
diff --git a/include/backend/drm/properties.h b/include/backend/drm/properties.h
index 103d12593..7456758e9 100644
--- a/include/backend/drm/properties.h
+++ b/include/backend/drm/properties.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ union wlr_drm_connector_props {
 		uint32_t panel_orientation; // not guaranteed to exist
 		uint32_t content_type; // not guaranteed to exist
 		uint32_t max_bpc; // not guaranteed to exist
+		uint32_t force_color_format; // not guaranteed to exist
 
 		// atomic-modesetting only
 
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
index 55182ae53..a9088fb3c 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ enum wlr_output_mode_aspect_ratio {
 	WLR_OUTPUT_MODE_ASPECT_RATIO_256_135,
 };
 
+enum wlr_output_color_format {
+	WLR_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_UNSPEC,
+	WLR_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB,
+	WLR_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444,
+	WLR_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422,
+	WLR_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420,
+};
+
 struct wlr_output_mode {
 	int32_t width, height;
 	int32_t refresh; // mHz
@@ -108,6 +116,8 @@ struct wlr_output_state {
 
 	struct wlr_output_layer_state *layers;
 	size_t layers_len;
+
+	enum wlr_output_color_format color_format;
 };
 
 struct wlr_output_impl;
@@ -423,6 +433,14 @@ void wlr_output_set_damage(struct wlr_output *output,
  */
 void wlr_output_set_layers(struct wlr_output *output,
 	struct wlr_output_layer_state *layers, size_t layers_len);
+
+/**
+ * Set the output color format. This is the color encoding the signal that
+ * goes out to the wire.
+ */
+void wlr_output_set_color_format(struct wlr_output *output,
+		enum wlr_output_color_format value);
+
 /**
  * Test whether the pending output state would be accepted by the backend. If
  * this function returns true, wlr_output_commit() can only fail due to a
@@ -676,6 +694,13 @@ void wlr_output_state_set_damage(struct wlr_output_state *state,
 void wlr_output_state_set_layers(struct wlr_output_state *state,
 	struct wlr_output_layer_state *layers, size_t layers_len);
 
+/**
+ * Set the output color format. This is the color encoding the signal that
+ * goes out to the wire.
+ */
+void wlr_output_state_set_color_format(struct wlr_output_state *state,
+		enum wlr_output_color_format value);
+
 /**
  * Copies the output state from src to dst. It is safe to then
  * wlr_output_state_finish() src and have dst still be valid.
diff --git a/types/output/output.c b/types/output/output.c
index a97eae773..15218dc1b 100644
--- a/types/output/output.c
+++ b/types/output/output.c
@@ -544,6 +544,11 @@ void wlr_output_set_layers(struct wlr_output *output,
 	wlr_output_state_set_layers(&output->pending, layers, layers_len);
 }
 
+void wlr_output_set_color_format(struct wlr_output *output,
+		enum wlr_output_color_format value) {
+	wlr_output_state_set_color_format(&output->pending, value);
+}
+
 static void output_state_clear_gamma_lut(struct wlr_output_state *state) {
 	free(state->gamma_lut);
 	state->gamma_lut = NULL;
diff --git a/types/output/state.c b/types/output/state.c
index 0909b3e8a..8e843f40f 100644
--- a/types/output/state.c
+++ b/types/output/state.c
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ void wlr_output_state_set_layers(struct wlr_output_state *state,
 	state->layers_len = layers_len;
 }
 
+void wlr_output_state_set_color_format(struct wlr_output_state *state,
+		enum wlr_output_color_format value) {
+	state->color_format = value;
+}
+
 bool wlr_output_state_copy(struct wlr_output_state *dst,
 		const struct wlr_output_state *src) {
 	struct wlr_output_state copy = *src;