diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
index cc82c3c2c6..a11700d245 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglcaopengllayer.m
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ _context_ready (gpointer data)
   }
 
   gst_gl_context_activate (self->draw_context, TRUE);
+  gst_gl_context_set_shared_with (self->draw_context, self->gst_gl_context);
   if (!gst_gl_context_fill_info (self->draw_context, &error)) {
     GST_ERROR ("failed to fill wrapped context information: %s", error->message);
     return NULL;
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
index 88526bde27..2c208edd09 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
@@ -1617,11 +1617,38 @@ gboolean
 gst_gl_context_is_shared (GstGLContext * context)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_GL_CONTEXT (context), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (context->priv->alive, FALSE);
+  if (GST_IS_GL_WRAPPED_CONTEXT (context))
+    g_return_val_if_fail (context->priv->active_thread, FALSE);
+  else
+    g_return_val_if_fail (context->priv->alive, FALSE);
 
   return _context_share_group_is_shared (context->priv->sharegroup);
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_gl_context_set_shared_with:
+ * @context: a wrapped #GstGLContext
+ * @share: another #GstGLContext
+ *
+ * Will internally set @context as shared with @share
+ *
+ * Since: 1.8
+ */
+void
+gst_gl_context_set_shared_with (GstGLContext * context, GstGLContext * share)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_GL_CONTEXT (context));
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_GL_CONTEXT (share));
+  g_return_if_fail (!gst_gl_context_is_shared (context));
+  /* XXX: may be a little too strict */
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_GL_WRAPPED_CONTEXT (context));
+
+  if (context->priv->sharegroup)
+    _context_share_group_unref (context->priv->sharegroup);
+  context->priv->sharegroup =
+      _context_share_group_ref (share->priv->sharegroup);
+}
+
 static GstGLAPI
 gst_gl_wrapped_context_get_gl_api (GstGLContext * context)
 {
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.h b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.h
index 64464aa2c3..4d917323d4 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.h
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ guintptr      gst_gl_context_get_current_gl_context     (GstGLPlatform platform)
 GstGLAPI      gst_gl_context_get_current_gl_api         (GstGLPlatform platform, guint *major, guint *minor);
 
 gboolean      gst_gl_context_is_shared                  (GstGLContext * context);
+void          gst_gl_context_set_shared_with            (GstGLContext * context, GstGLContext * share);
 
 gboolean gst_gl_context_fill_info (GstGLContext * context, GError ** error);