diff --git a/include/GL/glfw3.h b/include/GL/glfw3.h
index 5472f8b1..6f535408 100644
--- a/include/GL/glfw3.h
+++ b/include/GL/glfw3.h
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define GLFW_OPENGL_PROFILE       0x00022004
 #define GLFW_OPENGL_ROBUSTNESS    0x00022005
 #define GLFW_RESIZABLE            0x00022006
+#define GLFW_VISIBLE              0x00022007
 
 /* GLFW_OPENGL_ROBUSTNESS mode tokens */
 #define GLFW_OPENGL_NO_ROBUSTNESS         0x00000000
diff --git a/readme.html b/readme.html
index 580e21cd..c6eedbf3 100644
--- a/readme.html
+++ b/readme.html
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ version of GLFW.</p>
   <li>Added <code>GLFW_OPENGL_ROBUSTNESS</code> window hint and associated strategy tokens for <code>GL_ARB_robustness</code> support</li>
   <li>Added <code>GLFW_OPENGL_REVISION</code> window parameter to make up for removal of <code>glfwGetGLVersion</code></li>
   <li>Added <code>GLFW_INCLUDE_GL3</code> macro for telling the GLFW header to include <code>gl3.h</code> header instead of <code>gl.h</code></li>
+  <li>Added <code>GLFW_VISIBLE</code> window hint and parameter for controlling and polling window visibility</li>
   <li>Added <code>windows</code> simple multi-window test program</li>
   <li>Added <code>sharing</code> simple OpenGL object sharing test program</li>
   <li>Added <code>modes</code> video mode enumeration and setting test program</li>
diff --git a/src/cocoa_window.m b/src/cocoa_window.m
index db6d07b8..0d62b0fa 100644
--- a/src/cocoa_window.m
+++ b/src/cocoa_window.m
@@ -131,6 +131,22 @@
     return NSTerminateCancel;
 }
 
+- (void)applicationDidHide:(NSNotification *)notification
+{
+    _GLFWwindow* window;
+
+    for (window = _glfwLibrary.windowListHead;  window;  window = window->next)
+        _glfwInputWindowVisibility(window, GL_FALSE);
+}
+
+- (void)applicationDidUnhide:(NSNotification *)notification
+{
+    _GLFWwindow* window;
+
+    for (window = _glfwLibrary.windowListHead;  window;  window = window->next)
+        _glfwInputWindowVisibility(window, GL_TRUE);
+}
+
 @end
 
 
diff --git a/src/internal.h b/src/internal.h
index 1bad7483..8e923d50 100644
--- a/src/internal.h
+++ b/src/internal.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ struct _GLFWhints
     int         auxBuffers;
     GLboolean   stereo;
     GLboolean   resizable;
+    GLboolean   visible;
     int         samples;
     int         glMajor;
     int         glMinor;
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ struct _GLFWwndconfig
     const char*   title;
     int           refreshRate;
     GLboolean     resizable;
+    GLboolean     visible;
     int           glMajor;
     int           glMinor;
     GLboolean     glForward;
@@ -181,6 +183,7 @@ struct _GLFWwindow
     int       positionX, positionY;
     int       mode;            // GLFW_WINDOW or GLFW_FULLSCREEN
     GLboolean resizable;       // GL_TRUE if user may resize this window
+    GLboolean visible;         // GL_TRUE if this window is visible
     int       refreshRate;     // monitor refresh rate
     void*     userPointer;
 
@@ -338,6 +341,7 @@ void _glfwInputWindowFocus(_GLFWwindow* window, GLboolean activated);
 void _glfwInputWindowPos(_GLFWwindow* window, int x, int y);
 void _glfwInputWindowSize(_GLFWwindow* window, int width, int height);
 void _glfwInputWindowIconify(_GLFWwindow* window, int iconified);
+void _glfwInputWindowVisibility(_GLFWwindow* window, int visible);
 void _glfwInputWindowDamage(_GLFWwindow* window);
 void _glfwInputWindowCloseRequest(_GLFWwindow* window);
 
diff --git a/src/win32_window.c b/src/win32_window.c
index ff6941ab..b83d504a 100644
--- a/src/win32_window.c
+++ b/src/win32_window.c
@@ -418,6 +418,12 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK windowProc(HWND hWnd, UINT uMsg,
             return 0;
         }
 
+        case WM_SHOWWINDOW:
+        {
+            _glfwInputWindowVisibility(window, wParam ? GL_TRUE : GL_FALSE);
+            break;
+        }
+
         case WM_SYSCOMMAND:
         {
             switch (wParam & 0xfff0)
diff --git a/src/window.c b/src/window.c
index 4f8a96e6..7e928cf2 100644
--- a/src/window.c
+++ b/src/window.c
@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ void _glfwSetDefaultWindowHints(void)
     _glfwLibrary.hints.glMajor = 1;
     _glfwLibrary.hints.glMinor = 0;
 
-    // The default is to allow window resizing
+    // The default is to show the window and allow window resizing
     _glfwLibrary.hints.resizable = GL_TRUE;
+    _glfwLibrary.hints.visible   = GL_TRUE;
 }
 
 
@@ -176,6 +177,16 @@ void _glfwInputWindowIconify(_GLFWwindow* window, int iconified)
 }
 
 
+//========================================================================
+// Register window visibility events
+//========================================================================
+
+void _glfwInputWindowVisibility(_GLFWwindow* window, int visible)
+{
+    window->visible = visible;
+}
+
+
 //========================================================================
 // Register window damage events
 //========================================================================
@@ -246,6 +257,7 @@ GLFWAPI GLFWwindow glfwCreateWindow(int width, int height,
     wndconfig.title          = title;
     wndconfig.refreshRate    = Max(_glfwLibrary.hints.refreshRate, 0);
     wndconfig.resizable      = _glfwLibrary.hints.resizable ? GL_TRUE : GL_FALSE;
+    wndconfig.visible        = _glfwLibrary.hints.visible ? GL_TRUE : GL_FALSE;
     wndconfig.glMajor        = _glfwLibrary.hints.glMajor;
     wndconfig.glMinor        = _glfwLibrary.hints.glMinor;
     wndconfig.glForward      = _glfwLibrary.hints.glForward ? GL_TRUE : GL_FALSE;
@@ -318,8 +330,6 @@ GLFWAPI GLFWwindow glfwCreateWindow(int width, int height,
         return GL_FALSE;
     }
 
-    glfwShowWindow(window);
-
     // Cache the actual (as opposed to requested) window parameters
     _glfwPlatformRefreshWindowParams(window);
 
@@ -353,6 +363,9 @@ GLFWAPI GLFWwindow glfwCreateWindow(int width, int height,
     glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
     _glfwPlatformSwapBuffers(window);
 
+    if (wndconfig.visible)
+        glfwShowWindow(window);
+
     return window;
 }
 
@@ -413,6 +426,9 @@ GLFWAPI void glfwWindowHint(int target, int hint)
         case GLFW_RESIZABLE:
             _glfwLibrary.hints.resizable = hint;
             break;
+        case GLFW_VISIBLE:
+            _glfwLibrary.hints.visible = hint;
+            break;
         case GLFW_FSAA_SAMPLES:
             _glfwLibrary.hints.samples = hint;
             break;
diff --git a/src/x11_window.c b/src/x11_window.c
index 90938ccb..b4d62605 100644
--- a/src/x11_window.c
+++ b/src/x11_window.c
@@ -736,6 +736,7 @@ static void processSingleEvent(void)
                 return;
             }
 
+            _glfwInputWindowVisibility(window, GL_TRUE);
             _glfwInputWindowIconify(window, GL_FALSE);
             break;
         }
@@ -750,6 +751,7 @@ static void processSingleEvent(void)
                 return;
             }
 
+            _glfwInputWindowVisibility(window, GL_FALSE);
             _glfwInputWindowIconify(window, GL_TRUE);
             break;
         }