diff --git a/samples/wrapper/wrapper.cpp b/samples/wrapper/wrapper.cpp
index 0eeb56e7a4..7dd3f81e7d 100644
--- a/samples/wrapper/wrapper.cpp
+++ b/samples/wrapper/wrapper.cpp
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ int gpu_device_num = -1;
 double runtime = 0;
     // run time this session
 double trickle_period = 0;
+bool enable_graphics_support = false;
 vector<string> unzip_filenames;
 string zip_filename;
 vector<regexp*> zip_patterns;
@@ -520,6 +521,7 @@ int parse_job_file() {
             parse_zip_output(xp);
             continue;
         }
+        if (xp.parse_bool("enable_graphics_support", enable_graphics_support)) continue;
         fprintf(stderr,
             "%s unexpected tag in job.xml: %s\n",
             boinc_msg_prefix(buf2, sizeof(buf2)), xp.parsed_tag
@@ -1143,11 +1145,13 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
                 check_trickle_period();
             }
 
-            boinc_write_graphics_status(
-                task.starting_cpu + cpu_time,
-                checkpoint_cpu_time + task.elapsed_time,
-                frac_done + task.weight/total_weight
-            );
+            if (enable_graphics_support) {
+                boinc_write_graphics_status(
+                    task.starting_cpu + cpu_time,
+                    checkpoint_cpu_time + task.elapsed_time,
+                    frac_done + task.weight/total_weight
+                );
+            }
 
             boinc_sleep(POLL_PERIOD);
             if (!task.suspended) {