diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
index 40774b205..778ae722c 100644
--- a/pytest.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ qt_log_ignore =
     QItemSelectionModel: Selecting when no model has been set will result in a no-op.
     ^QSaveFile::commit: File \(.*[/\\]test_failing_flush0[/\\]foo\) is not open$
     ^The following paths were searched for Qt WebEngine dictionaries:.*
-    # Qt 6.9 Beta 1 and 2 and 3 with Xvfb
+    # Qt 6.9 Beta 1-3 with Xvfb
     ^Backend texture is not a Vulkan texture\.$
     # With offscreen platform plugin
     ^This plugin does not support (raise|propagateSizeHints)\(\)$
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 35c9baaf3..3972476a7 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -213,11 +213,13 @@ def pytest_ignore_collect(collection_path: pathlib.Path) -> bool:
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
-def qapp_args():
-    """Make QtWebEngine unit tests run on older Qt versions + newer kernels."""
+def qapp_args() -> list[str]:
+    """Work around various issues when running QtWebEngine tests."""
     args = [sys.argv[0], "--webEngineArgs"]
     if testutils.disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
         args.append(testutils.DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_FLAG)
+    if testutils.use_software_rendering():
+        args.append(testutils.SOFTWARE_RENDERING_FLAG)
 
     # Disabling PaintHoldingCrossOrigin makes tests needing UI interaction with
     # QtWebEngine more reliable.
diff --git a/tests/end2end/fixtures/quteprocess.py b/tests/end2end/fixtures/quteprocess.py
index bfb8ec519..6db4771e3 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/fixtures/quteprocess.py
+++ b/tests/end2end/fixtures/quteprocess.py
@@ -448,8 +448,11 @@ class QuteProc(testprocess.Process):
                 '--qt-flag', 'disable-features=PaintHoldingCrossOrigin',
                 '--qt-arg', 'geometry', '800x600+0+0']
 
-        if self.request.config.webengine and testutils.disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
-            args += testutils.DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_ARGS
+        if self.request.config.webengine:
+            if testutils.disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
+                args += testutils.DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_ARGS
+            if testutils.use_software_rendering():
+                args += testutils.SOFTWARE_RENDERING_ARGS
 
         args.append('about:blank')
         return args
diff --git a/tests/end2end/test_invocations.py b/tests/end2end/test_invocations.py
index 0c306a3e7..607293d19 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/test_invocations.py
+++ b/tests/end2end/test_invocations.py
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ def _base_args(config):
     else:
         args += ['--backend', 'webkit']
 
-    if config.webengine and testutils.disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
-        args += testutils.DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_ARGS
+    if config.webengine:
+        if testutils.disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
+            args += testutils.DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_ARGS
+        if testutils.use_software_rendering():
+            args += testutils.SOFTWARE_RENDERING_ARGS
 
     args.append('about:blank')
     return args
diff --git a/tests/helpers/testutils.py b/tests/helpers/testutils.py
index a123fb0d2..626115b60 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/testutils.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/testutils.py
@@ -264,6 +264,15 @@ def easyprivacy_txt():
     return _decompress_gzip_datafile("easyprivacy.txt.gz")
 
 
+def _has_qtwebengine() -> bool:
+    """Check whether QtWebEngine is available."""
+    try:
+        from qutebrowser.qt import webenginecore   # pylint: disable=unused-import
+    except ImportError:
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
 DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_FLAG = "--disable-seccomp-filter-sandbox"
 DISABLE_SECCOMP_BPF_ARGS = ["-s", "qt.chromium.sandboxing", "disable-seccomp-bpf"]
 
@@ -294,18 +303,15 @@ def _needs_map_discard_workaround(webengine_version: utils.VersionNumber) -> boo
     return libc_version >= affected_glibc and kernel_version >= affected_kernel
 
 
-def disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
+
+def disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox() -> bool:
     """Check whether we need to disable the seccomp BPF sandbox.
 
     This is needed for some QtWebEngine setups, with older Qt versions but
     newer kernels.
     """
-    try:
-        from qutebrowser.qt import webenginecore   # pylint: disable=unused-import
-    except ImportError:
-        # no QtWebEngine available
+    if not _has_qtwebengine():
         return False
-
     versions = version.qtwebengine_versions(avoid_init=True)
     return (
         versions.webengine == utils.VersionNumber(5, 15, 2)
@@ -313,6 +319,23 @@ def disable_seccomp_bpf_sandbox():
     )
 
 
+SOFTWARE_RENDERING_FLAG = "--disable-gpu"
+SOFTWARE_RENDERING_ARGS = ["-s", "qt.force_software_rendering", "chromium"]
+
+
+def use_software_rendering() -> bool:
+    """Check whether to enforce software rendering for tests."""
+    if not _has_qtwebengine():
+        return False
+
+    versions = version.qtwebengine_versions(avoid_init=True)
+    return (
+        # https://github.com/qutebrowser/qutebrowser/issues/8444#issuecomment-2569554046
+        # not on CI, but unknown how to tell apart affected / unaffected systems
+        versions.webengine == utils.VersionNumber(6, 9)
+    )
+
+
 def import_userscript(name):
     """Import a userscript via importlib.