diff --git a/drivers/video/udlfb.c b/drivers/video/udlfb.c
index 37498ab..2341b27 100644
--- a/drivers/video/udlfb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/udlfb.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 /* module options */
 static int console;   /* Optionally allow fbcon to consume first framebuffer */
 static int fb_defio;  /* Optionally enable experimental fb_defio mmap support */
+static int shadow = 1; /* Optionally disable shadow framebuffer */
 
 /* dlfb keeps a list of urbs for efficient bulk transfers */
 static void dlfb_urb_completion(struct urb *urb);
@@ -1148,7 +1149,7 @@
 	int new_len;
 	unsigned char *old_fb = info->screen_base;
 	unsigned char *new_fb;
-	unsigned char *new_back;
+	unsigned char *new_back = 0;
 
 	pr_warn("Reallocating framebuffer. Addresses will change!\n");
 
@@ -1180,7 +1181,8 @@
 		 * But with imperfect damage info we may send pixels over USB
 		 * that were, in fact, unchanged - wasting limited USB bandwidth
 		 */
-		new_back = vzalloc(new_len);
+		if (shadow)
+			new_back = vzalloc(new_len);
 		if (!new_back)
 			pr_info("No shadow/backing buffer allocated\n");
 		else {
@@ -1593,6 +1595,7 @@
 		usbdev->descriptor.bcdDevice, dev);
 	pr_info("console enable=%d\n", console);
 	pr_info("fb_defio enable=%d\n", fb_defio);
+	pr_info("shadow enable=%d\n", shadow);
 
 	dev->sku_pixel_limit = 2048 * 1152; /* default to maximum */
 
@@ -1950,6 +1953,9 @@
 module_param(fb_defio, bool, S_IWUSR | S_IRUSR | S_IWGRP | S_IRGRP);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(fb_defio, "Enable fb_defio mmap support. *Experimental*");
 
+module_param(shadow, bool, S_IWUSR | S_IRUSR | S_IWGRP | S_IRGRP);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(shadow, "Shadow vid mem. Disable to save mem but lose perf");
+
 MODULE_AUTHOR("Roberto De Ioris <roberto@unbit.it>, "
 	      "Jaya Kumar <jayakumar.lkml@gmail.com>, "
 	      "Bernie Thompson <bernie@plugable.com>");