diff --git a/src/Magnum/Buffer.cpp b/src/Magnum/Buffer.cpp
index e5f072b7a..627b92f70 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/Magnum/Buffer.cpp
@@ -122,10 +122,11 @@ void Buffer::copy(Buffer& read, Buffer& write, const GLintptr readOffset, const
 }
 #endif
 
-Buffer::Buffer(Buffer::Target targetHint): _targetHint(targetHint)
+Buffer::Buffer(const Target targetHint): _targetHint{targetHint},
     #ifdef CORRADE_TARGET_NACL
-    , _mappedBuffer(nullptr)
+    _mappedBuffer{nullptr},
     #endif
+    _created{false}
 {
     glGenBuffers(1, &_id);
     CORRADE_INTERNAL_ASSERT(_id != Implementation::State::DisengagedBinding);
@@ -144,7 +145,20 @@ Buffer::~Buffer() {
     glDeleteBuffers(1, &_id);
 }
 
-std::string Buffer::label() const {
+inline void Buffer::createIfNotAlready() {
+    if(_created) return;
+
+    /* glGen*() does not create the object, just reserves the name. Some
+       commands (such as glInvalidateBufferData() or glObjectLabel()) operate
+       with IDs directly and they require the object to be created. Binding the
+       buffer finally creates it. Also all EXT DSA functions implicitly create
+       it. */
+    bindSomewhereInternal(_targetHint);
+    CORRADE_INTERNAL_ASSERT(_created);
+}
+
+std::string Buffer::label() {
+    createIfNotAlready();
     #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
     return Context::current()->state().debug->getLabelImplementation(GL_BUFFER, _id);
     #else
@@ -153,6 +167,7 @@ std::string Buffer::label() const {
 }
 
 Buffer& Buffer::setLabelInternal(const Containers::ArrayReference<const char> label) {
+    createIfNotAlready();
     #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
     Context::current()->state().debug->labelImplementation(GL_BUFFER, _id, label);
     #else
@@ -161,14 +176,16 @@ Buffer& Buffer::setLabelInternal(const Containers::ArrayReference<const char> la
     return *this;
 }
 
-void Buffer::bindInternal(Target target, GLuint id) {
+void Buffer::bindInternal(const Target target, Buffer* const buffer) {
+    const GLuint id = buffer ? buffer->_id : 0;
     GLuint& bound = Context::current()->state().buffer->bindings[Implementation::BufferState::indexForTarget(target)];
 
     /* Already bound, nothing to do */
     if(bound == id) return;
 
-    /* Bind the buffer otherwise */
+    /* Bind the buffer otherwise, which will also finally create it */
     bound = id;
+    buffer->_created = true;
     glBindBuffer(GLenum(target), id);
 }
 
@@ -186,6 +203,7 @@ Buffer::Target Buffer::bindSomewhereInternal(Target hint) {
 
     /* Bind the buffer to hint target otherwise */
     hintBinding = _id;
+    _created = true;
     glBindBuffer(GLenum(hint), _id);
     return hint;
 }
@@ -274,6 +292,7 @@ void Buffer::copyImplementationDefault(Buffer& read, Buffer& write, GLintptr rea
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::copyImplementationDSA(Buffer& read, Buffer& write, GLintptr readOffset, GLintptr writeOffset, GLsizeiptr size) {
+    read._created = write._created = true;
     glNamedCopyBufferSubDataEXT(read._id, write._id, readOffset, writeOffset, size);
 }
 #endif
@@ -285,6 +304,7 @@ void Buffer::getParameterImplementationDefault(const GLenum value, GLint* const
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::getParameterImplementationDSA(const GLenum value, GLint* const data) {
+    _created = true;
     glGetNamedBufferParameterivEXT(_id, value, data);
 }
 #endif
@@ -295,6 +315,7 @@ void Buffer::getSubDataImplementationDefault(const GLintptr offset, const GLsize
 }
 
 void Buffer::getSubDataImplementationDSA(const GLintptr offset, const GLsizeiptr size, GLvoid* const data) {
+    _created = true;
     glGetNamedBufferSubDataEXT(_id, offset, size, data);
 }
 #endif
@@ -305,6 +326,7 @@ void Buffer::dataImplementationDefault(GLsizeiptr size, const GLvoid* data, Buff
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::dataImplementationDSA(GLsizeiptr size, const GLvoid* data, BufferUsage usage) {
+    _created = true;
     glNamedBufferDataEXT(_id, size, data, GLenum(usage));
 }
 #endif
@@ -315,6 +337,7 @@ void Buffer::subDataImplementationDefault(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr size, cons
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::subDataImplementationDSA(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr size, const GLvoid* data) {
+    _created = true;
     glNamedBufferSubDataEXT(_id, offset, size, data);
 }
 #endif
@@ -323,6 +346,7 @@ void Buffer::invalidateImplementationNoOp() {}
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::invalidateImplementationARB() {
+    createIfNotAlready();
     glInvalidateBufferData(_id);
 }
 #endif
@@ -331,6 +355,7 @@ void Buffer::invalidateSubImplementationNoOp(GLintptr, GLsizeiptr) {}
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::invalidateSubImplementationARB(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr length) {
+    createIfNotAlready();
     glInvalidateBufferSubData(_id, offset, length);
 }
 #endif
@@ -348,6 +373,7 @@ void* Buffer::mapImplementationDefault(MapAccess access) {
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void* Buffer::mapImplementationDSA(MapAccess access) {
+    _created = true;
     return glMapNamedBufferEXT(_id, GLenum(access));
 }
 #endif
@@ -367,6 +393,7 @@ void* Buffer::mapRangeImplementationDefault(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr length,
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void* Buffer::mapRangeImplementationDSA(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr length, MapFlags access) {
+    _created = true;
     return glMapNamedBufferRangeEXT(_id, offset, length, GLenum(access));
 }
 #endif
@@ -385,6 +412,7 @@ void Buffer::flushMappedRangeImplementationDefault(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr l
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 void Buffer::flushMappedRangeImplementationDSA(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr length) {
+    _created = true;
     glFlushMappedNamedBufferRangeEXT(_id, offset, length);
 }
 #endif
@@ -401,6 +429,7 @@ bool Buffer::unmapImplementationDefault() {
 
 #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
 bool Buffer::unmapImplementationDSA() {
+    _created = true;
     return glUnmapNamedBufferEXT(_id);
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Buffer.h b/src/Magnum/Buffer.h
index abf1817e0..d627700d7 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Buffer.h
+++ b/src/Magnum/Buffer.h
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ class MAGNUM_EXPORT Buffer: public AbstractObject {
          *      @fn_gl_extension2{GetObjectLabel,EXT,debug_label} with
          *      @def_gl{BUFFER_OBJECT_EXT}
          */
-        std::string label() const;
+        std::string label();
 
         /**
          * @brief Set buffer label
@@ -852,13 +852,11 @@ class MAGNUM_EXPORT Buffer: public AbstractObject {
     private:
     #endif
         /* There should be no need to use these from user code */
-        static void unbindInternal(Target target) { bindInternal(target, 0); }
-        void bindInternal(Target target) { bindInternal(target, _id); }
+        static void unbindInternal(Target target) { bindInternal(target, nullptr); }
+        void bindInternal(Target target) { bindInternal(target, this); }
 
     private:
-        Buffer& setLabelInternal(Containers::ArrayReference<const char> label);
-
-        static void bindInternal(Target hint, GLuint id);
+        static void bindInternal(Target hint, Buffer* buffer);
         Target MAGNUM_LOCAL bindSomewhereInternal(Target hint);
 
         #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES2
@@ -868,6 +866,10 @@ class MAGNUM_EXPORT Buffer: public AbstractObject {
         #endif
         #endif
 
+        void MAGNUM_LOCAL createIfNotAlready();
+
+        Buffer& setLabelInternal(Containers::ArrayReference<const char> label);
+
         #ifndef MAGNUM_TARGET_GLES
         void subDataInternal(GLintptr offset, GLsizeiptr size, GLvoid* data);
         #endif
@@ -927,6 +929,7 @@ class MAGNUM_EXPORT Buffer: public AbstractObject {
         #ifdef CORRADE_TARGET_NACL
         void* _mappedBuffer;
         #endif
+        bool _created; /* see createIfNotAlready() for details */
 };
 
 CORRADE_ENUMSET_OPERATORS(Buffer::MapFlags)
@@ -934,13 +937,14 @@ CORRADE_ENUMSET_OPERATORS(Buffer::MapFlags)
 /** @debugoperatorclassenum{Magnum::Buffer,Magnum::Buffer::Target} */
 Debug MAGNUM_EXPORT operator<<(Debug debug, Buffer::Target value);
 
-inline Buffer::Buffer(Buffer&& other) noexcept: _id(other._id), _targetHint(other._targetHint) {
+inline Buffer::Buffer(Buffer&& other) noexcept: _id{other._id}, _targetHint{other._targetHint}, _created{other._created} {
     other._id = 0;
 }
 
 inline Buffer& Buffer::operator=(Buffer&& other) noexcept {
     std::swap(_id, other._id);
     std::swap(_targetHint, other._targetHint);
+    std::swap(_created, other._created);
     return *this;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Test/BufferGLTest.cpp b/src/Magnum/Test/BufferGLTest.cpp
index 4358835bd..ab36e04d7 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Test/BufferGLTest.cpp
+++ b/src/Magnum/Test/BufferGLTest.cpp
@@ -118,20 +118,15 @@ void BufferGLTest::label() {
        !Context::current()->isExtensionSupported<Extensions::GL::EXT::debug_label>())
         CORRADE_SKIP("Required extension is not available");
 
-    {
-        /** @todo Is this even legal optimization? */
-        CORRADE_EXPECT_FAIL("The object must be used at least once before setting/querying label.");
-        CORRADE_VERIFY(false);
-    }
     Buffer buffer;
-    buffer.setData({nullptr, 3}, BufferUsage::StaticDraw);
 
     CORRADE_COMPARE(buffer.label(), "");
+    MAGNUM_VERIFY_NO_ERROR();
 
     buffer.setLabel("MyBuffer");
-    CORRADE_COMPARE(buffer.label(), "MyBuffer");
-
     MAGNUM_VERIFY_NO_ERROR();
+
+    CORRADE_COMPARE(buffer.label(), "MyBuffer");
 }
 
 void BufferGLTest::data() {