diff --git a/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/gtk_tray_menu_base.py b/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/gtk_tray_menu_base.py
index 7187844041..9d269ce0c6 100644
--- a/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/gtk_tray_menu_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/gtk_tray_menu_base.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from xpra.gtk_common.gtk_util import set_tooltip_text, CheckMenuItem, ensure_item_selected, menuitem
 from xpra.client.client_base import EXIT_OK
 from xpra.client.gtk_base.about import about, close_about
-from xpra.codecs.loader import PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, ENCODINGS_HELP, ENCODINGS_TO_NAME, HIDDEN_ENCODINGS
+from xpra.codecs.loader import PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, ENCODINGS_HELP, ENCODINGS_TO_NAME
 from xpra.log import Logger
 log = Logger("tray")
 
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ def set_encodingsmenuitem(*args):
 
     def make_encodingssubmenu(self, handshake_complete=True):
         all_encodings = [x for x in PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER if x in self.client.get_encodings()]
-        encodings = [x for x in all_encodings if x not in HIDDEN_ENCODINGS]
+        encodings = [x for x in all_encodings if x not in self.client.server_encodings_problematic]
         if not encodings:
             #all we have, show the "bad" hidden ones then!
             encodings = all_encodings
diff --git a/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py b/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
index 61bd528b05..7b0f82d53f 100644
--- a/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from xpra.platform.features import MMAP_SUPPORTED, SYSTEM_TRAY_SUPPORTED, CLIPBOARD_WANT_TARGETS, CLIPBOARD_GREEDY, CLIPBOARDS
 from xpra.platform.gui import init as gui_init, ready as gui_ready, get_native_notifier_classes, get_native_tray_classes, get_native_system_tray_classes, get_native_tray_menu_helper_classes, ClientExtras
 from xpra.codecs.codec_constants import get_PIL_decodings
-from xpra.codecs.loader import codec_versions, has_codec, get_codec, PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, ALL_NEW_ENCODING_NAMES_TO_OLD, OLD_ENCODING_NAMES_TO_NEW
+from xpra.codecs.loader import codec_versions, has_codec, get_codec, PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, ALL_NEW_ENCODING_NAMES_TO_OLD, OLD_ENCODING_NAMES_TO_NEW, PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS
 from xpra.codecs.video_helper import getVideoHelper, NO_GFX_CSC_OPTIONS
 from xpra.simple_stats import std_unit
 from xpra.net import compression, packet_encoding
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.server_generic_encodings = False
         self.server_encodings = []
         self.server_core_encodings = []
+        self.server_encodings_problematic = PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS
         self.server_encodings_with_speed = ()
         self.server_encodings_with_quality = ()
         self.server_encodings_with_lossless = ()
@@ -1200,6 +1201,7 @@ def getenclist(k, default_value=[]):
         self.server_generic_encodings = c.boolget("encoding.generic")
         self.server_encodings = getenclist("encodings")
         self.server_core_encodings = getenclist("encodings.core", self.server_encodings)
+        self.server_encodings_problematic = getenclist("encodings.problematic", PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS)  #server is telling us to try to avoid those
         self.server_encodings_with_speed = getenclist("encodings.with_speed", ("h264",)) #old servers only supported x264
         self.server_encodings_with_quality = getenclist("encodings.with_quality", ("jpeg", "webp", "h264"))
         self.server_encodings_with_lossless_mode = getenclist("encodings.with_lossless_mode", ())
diff --git a/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py b/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
index 2128bee0cc..0e182d016b 100755
--- a/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
+++ b/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ def has_codec(name):
 
 HELP_ORDER = ("h264", "h265", "vp8", "vp9", "png", "png/P", "png/L", "webp", "rgb", "jpeg")
 
-#those are so useless that we don't want the user to select them by mistake
-HIDDEN_ENCODINGS = ("h265", "vp9")
+#those are currently so useless that we don't want the user to select them by mistake
+PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS = ("h265", "vp9")
 
 
 def encodings_help(encodings):
diff --git a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
index 09718f21d2..708bf95ed9 100644
--- a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 from xpra.os_util import thread, get_hex_uuid
 from xpra.util import typedict, updict, log_screen_sizes, SERVER_EXIT, SERVER_SHUTDOWN, CLIENT_REQUEST, DETACH_REQUEST, NEW_CLIENT, DONE
 from xpra.scripts.config import python_platform
-from xpra.codecs.loader import PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, codec_versions, has_codec, get_codec
+from xpra.codecs.loader import PREFERED_ENCODING_ORDER, PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS, codec_versions, has_codec, get_codec
 from xpra.codecs.codec_constants import get_PIL_encodings
 from xpra.codecs.video_helper import getVideoHelper, ALL_VIDEO_ENCODER_OPTIONS, ALL_CSC_MODULE_OPTIONS
 if sys.version > '3':
@@ -1064,6 +1064,7 @@ def get_encoding_info(self):
              "core"                 : self.core_encodings,
              "allowed"              : self.allowed_encodings,
              "lossless"             : self.lossless_encodings,
+             "problematic"          : [x for x in self.core_encodings if x in PROBLEMATIC_ENCODINGS],
              "with_speed"           : [x for x in self.core_encodings if x in ("h264", "vp8", "vp9", "rgb", "png", "png/P", "png/L")],
              "with_quality"         : [x for x in self.core_encodings if x in ("jpeg", "webp", "h264", "vp8", "vp9")],
              "with_lossless_mode"   : self.lossless_mode_encodings}