diff --git a/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
index 9ca25e5..d2e03b6 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     WebGLState = require('./WebGLState'),
     createContext = require('pixi-gl-core').createContext,
     mapWebGLDrawModesToPixi = require('./utils/mapWebGLDrawModesToPixi'),
+    validateContext = require('./utils/validateContext'),
     utils = require('../../utils'),
     glCore = require('pixi-gl-core'),
     CONST = require('../../const');
@@ -110,6 +111,12 @@
      * @member {WebGLRenderingContext}
      */
     // initialize the context so it is ready for the managers.
+    if(options.context)
+    {
+        // checks to see if a context is valid..
+        validateContext(options.context);
+    }
+
     this.gl = options.context || createContext(this.view, this._contextOptions);
 
     this.CONTEXT_UID = CONTEXT_UID++;

diff --git a/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
index 9ca25e5..d2e03b6 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/webgl/WebGLRenderer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     WebGLState = require('./WebGLState'),
     createContext = require('pixi-gl-core').createContext,
     mapWebGLDrawModesToPixi = require('./utils/mapWebGLDrawModesToPixi'),
+    validateContext = require('./utils/validateContext'),
     utils = require('../../utils'),
     glCore = require('pixi-gl-core'),
     CONST = require('../../const');
@@ -110,6 +111,12 @@
      * @member {WebGLRenderingContext}
      */
     // initialize the context so it is ready for the managers.
+    if(options.context)
+    {
+        // checks to see if a context is valid..
+        validateContext(options.context);
+    }
+
     this.gl = options.context || createContext(this.view, this._contextOptions);
 
     this.CONTEXT_UID = CONTEXT_UID++;
diff --git a/src/core/renderers/webgl/utils/validateContext.js b/src/core/renderers/webgl/utils/validateContext.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11a92eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/renderers/webgl/utils/validateContext.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+
+
+function validateContext(gl)
+{
+	var attributes = gl.getContextAttributes();
+
+	// this is going to be fairly simple for now.. but at least we have rom to grow!
+	if(!attributes.stencil)
+	{
+		console.warn("Provided WebGL context does not have a stencil buffer, masks may not correctly")
+	}
+}
+
+module.exports = validateContext;