diff --git a/cogl/cogl-attribute-buffer.c b/cogl/cogl-attribute-buffer.c
index f9eeeac74..a122e968a 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-attribute-buffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-attribute-buffer.c
@@ -44,18 +44,11 @@ cogl_attribute_buffer_new (CoglContext *context,
                            const void *data)
 {
   CoglAttributeBuffer *array = g_slice_new (CoglAttributeBuffer);
-  CoglBool use_malloc;
-
-  if (!(context->private_feature_flags & COGL_PRIVATE_FEATURE_VBOS))
-    use_malloc = TRUE;
-  else
-    use_malloc = FALSE;
 
   /* parent's constructor */
   _cogl_buffer_initialize (COGL_BUFFER (array),
                            context,
                            bytes,
-                           use_malloc,
                            COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_ATTRIBUTE_BUFFER,
                            COGL_BUFFER_USAGE_HINT_ATTRIBUTE_BUFFER,
                            COGL_BUFFER_UPDATE_HINT_STATIC);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-buffer-private.h b/cogl/cogl-buffer-private.h
index 52bffafe4..7e81e262e 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-buffer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-buffer-private.h
@@ -113,12 +113,11 @@ _cogl_buffer_register_buffer_type (const CoglObjectClass *klass);
    _cogl_buffer_register_buffer_type (&_cogl_##type_name##_class))
 
 void
-_cogl_buffer_initialize (CoglBuffer          *buffer,
-                         CoglContext         *context,
-                         unsigned int         size,
-                         CoglBool             use_malloc,
+_cogl_buffer_initialize (CoglBuffer *buffer,
+                         CoglContext *context,
+                         size_t size,
                          CoglBufferBindTarget default_target,
-                         CoglBufferUsageHint  usage_hint,
+                         CoglBufferUsageHint usage_hint,
                          CoglBufferUpdateHint update_hint);
 
 void
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-buffer.c b/cogl/cogl-buffer.c
index ffd1ef16b..12b2d5ac9 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-buffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-buffer.c
@@ -292,14 +292,15 @@ malloc_set_data (CoglBuffer   *buffer,
 }
 
 void
-_cogl_buffer_initialize (CoglBuffer           *buffer,
-                         CoglContext          *context,
-                         unsigned int          size,
-                         CoglBool              use_malloc,
-                         CoglBufferBindTarget  default_target,
-                         CoglBufferUsageHint   usage_hint,
-                         CoglBufferUpdateHint  update_hint)
+_cogl_buffer_initialize (CoglBuffer *buffer,
+                         CoglContext *context,
+                         size_t size,
+                         CoglBufferBindTarget default_target,
+                         CoglBufferUsageHint usage_hint,
+                         CoglBufferUpdateHint update_hint)
 {
+  CoglBool use_malloc = FALSE;
+
   buffer->context = context;
   buffer->flags = COGL_BUFFER_FLAG_NONE;
   buffer->store_created = FALSE;
@@ -310,6 +311,19 @@ _cogl_buffer_initialize (CoglBuffer           *buffer,
   buffer->data = NULL;
   buffer->immutable_ref = 0;
 
+  if (default_target == COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_PIXEL_PACK ||
+      default_target == COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_PIXEL_UNPACK)
+    {
+      if (!(context->private_feature_flags & COGL_PRIVATE_FEATURE_PBOS))
+        use_malloc = TRUE;
+    }
+  else if (default_target == COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_ATTRIBUTE_BUFFER ||
+           default_target == COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_INDEX_BUFFER)
+    {
+      if (!(context->private_feature_flags & COGL_PRIVATE_FEATURE_VBOS))
+        use_malloc = TRUE;
+    }
+
   if (use_malloc)
     {
       buffer->vtable.map = malloc_map;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-index-buffer.c b/cogl/cogl-index-buffer.c
index 547cae3f4..a36c2d29c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-index-buffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-index-buffer.c
@@ -45,18 +45,11 @@ CoglIndexBuffer *
 cogl_index_buffer_new (CoglContext *context, size_t bytes)
 {
   CoglIndexBuffer *indices = g_slice_new (CoglIndexBuffer);
-  CoglBool use_malloc;
-
-  if (!(context->private_feature_flags & COGL_PRIVATE_FEATURE_VBOS))
-    use_malloc = TRUE;
-  else
-    use_malloc = FALSE;
 
   /* parent's constructor */
   _cogl_buffer_initialize (COGL_BUFFER (indices),
                            context,
                            bytes,
-                           use_malloc,
                            COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_INDEX_BUFFER,
                            COGL_BUFFER_USAGE_HINT_INDEX_BUFFER,
                            COGL_BUFFER_UPDATE_HINT_STATIC);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-pixel-buffer.c b/cogl/cogl-pixel-buffer.c
index 7b505d937..0c7502cc7 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-pixel-buffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-pixel-buffer.c
@@ -73,18 +73,11 @@ cogl_pixel_buffer_new (CoglContext *context,
 {
   CoglPixelBuffer *pixel_buffer = g_slice_new0 (CoglPixelBuffer);
   CoglBuffer *buffer = COGL_BUFFER (pixel_buffer);
-  CoglBool use_malloc;
-
-  if (!(context->private_feature_flags & COGL_PRIVATE_FEATURE_PBOS))
-    use_malloc = TRUE;
-  else
-    use_malloc = FALSE;
 
   /* parent's constructor */
   _cogl_buffer_initialize (buffer,
                            context,
                            size,
-                           use_malloc,
                            COGL_BUFFER_BIND_TARGET_PIXEL_UNPACK,
                            COGL_BUFFER_USAGE_HINT_TEXTURE,
                            COGL_BUFFER_UPDATE_HINT_STATIC);