diff --git a/src/gui/painting/qbackingstorerhisupport.cpp b/src/gui/painting/qbackingstorerhisupport.cpp
index 42d5a9d505..05329d61c5 100644
--- a/src/gui/painting/qbackingstorerhisupport.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/painting/qbackingstorerhisupport.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ bool QBackingStoreRhiSupport::create()
             QRhiD3D11InitParams params;
             params.enableDebugLayer = m_config.isDebugLayerEnabled();
             rhi = QRhi::create(QRhi::D3D11, &params, flags);
+            if (!rhi && !flags.testFlag(QRhi::PreferSoftwareRenderer)) {
+                qCDebug(lcQpaBackingStore, "Failed to create a D3D device with default settings; "
+                                           "attempting to get a software rasterizer backed device instead");
+                flags |= QRhi::PreferSoftwareRenderer;
+                rhi = QRhi::create(QRhi::D3D11, &params, flags);
+            }
         } else if (m_config.api() == QPlatformBackingStoreRhiConfig::D3D12) {
             QRhiD3D12InitParams params;
             params.enableDebugLayer = m_config.isDebugLayerEnabled();