diff --git a/src/video.cpp b/src/video.cpp
index f6f23c1dbd1..8d163818e0c 100644
--- a/src/video.cpp
+++ b/src/video.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 static lg::log_domain log_display("display");
 #define LOG_DP LOG_STREAM(info, log_display)
 #define ERR_DP LOG_STREAM(err, log_display)
+#define DBG_DP LOG_STREAM(debug, log_display)
 
 CVideo* CVideo::singleton_ = nullptr;
 
@@ -520,6 +521,30 @@ void CVideo::render_screen()
 	}
 }
 
+surface CVideo::read_pixels(SDL_Rect* r)
+{
+	SDL_Rect d = draw_area();
+	SDL_Rect r_clipped = d;
+	if (r) {
+		r_clipped = sdl::intersect_rects(*r, d);
+		if (r_clipped != *r) {
+			DBG_DP << "modifying pixel read area\n"
+			       << "  from " << *r << "\n"
+			       << "    to " << r_clipped << std::endl;
+			*r = r_clipped;
+		}
+	}
+	SDL_Rect o = to_output(r_clipped);
+	surface s(o.w, o.h);
+	SDL_RenderReadPixels(*window, &o, s->format->format, s->pixels, s->pitch);
+	return s;
+}
+
+texture CVideo::read_texture(SDL_Rect* r)
+{
+	return texture(read_pixels(r));
+}
+
 void CVideo::lock_updates(bool value)
 {
 	if(value == true) {
diff --git a/src/video.hpp b/src/video.hpp
index 2ba0fdbea21..498d24b87e9 100644
--- a/src/video.hpp
+++ b/src/video.hpp
@@ -312,6 +312,42 @@ public:
 	/** Returns a reference to the drawing surface. */
 	surface& getDrawingSurface();
 
+	/**
+	 * Copy back a portion of the render target that is already drawn.
+	 *
+	 * This area is specified in draw coordinates, not render coordinates.
+	 * Thus the size of the retrieved surface may not match the size of r.
+	 *
+	 * If not null, r will be automatically clipped to the drawing area.
+	 *
+	 * Note: This is a very slow function! Its use should be phased out
+	 * for everything except maybe screenshots.
+	 *
+	 * @param r       The portion of the render target to retrieve, in
+	 *                draw coordinates.
+	 *                If not null, this will be modified to reflect the
+	 *                portion of the draw area that has been returned.
+	 */
+	surface read_pixels(SDL_Rect* r = nullptr);
+
+	/**
+	 * Copy a portion of the render target to another texture.
+	 *
+	 * This area is specified in draw coordinates, not render coordinates.
+	 * Thus the size of the retrieved texture may not match the size of r.
+	 *
+	 * If not null, r will be automatically clipped to the drawing area.
+	 *
+	 * Note: This is a very slow function! Its use should be phased out
+	 * for everything except maybe screenshots.
+	 *
+	 * @param r       The portion of the render target to retrieve, in
+	 *                draw coordinates.
+	 *                If not null, this will be modified to reflect the
+	 *                portion of the draw area that has been returned.
+	 */
+	texture read_texture(SDL_Rect* r = nullptr);
+
 	/**
 	 * Stop the screen being redrawn. Anything that happens while the updates are locked will
 	 * be hidden from the user's view.