diff --git a/crates/egui_kittest/src/builder.rs b/crates/egui_kittest/src/builder.rs
index 23109544b..dfaa7af36 100644
--- a/crates/egui_kittest/src/builder.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_kittest/src/builder.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ pub struct HarnessBuilder<State = ()> {
     pub(crate) renderer: Box<dyn TestRenderer>,
     pub(crate) wait_for_pending_images: bool,
 
+    #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+    pub(crate) render_every_step: bool,
+
     #[cfg(feature = "snapshot")]
     pub(crate) default_snapshot_options: crate::SnapshotOptions,
 
@@ -36,6 +39,9 @@ impl<State> Default for HarnessBuilder<State> {
             max_steps: 4,
             step_dt: 1.0 / 4.0,
             wait_for_pending_images: true,
+
+            #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+            render_every_step: false,
             os: egui::os::OperatingSystem::Nix,
 
             #[cfg(feature = "snapshot")]
@@ -127,6 +133,16 @@ impl<State> HarnessBuilder<State> {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Should every step be rendered?
+    ///
+    /// Useful when test logic requires some specific gpu logic, e.g. reading data back from the gpu.
+    #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn with_render_every_step(mut self, render_every_step: bool) -> Self {
+        self.render_every_step = render_every_step;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Configures the [`egui_wgpu::RendererOptions`] used by this harness.
     ///
     /// The default is [`egui_wgpu::RendererOptions::PREDICTABLE`].
diff --git a/crates/egui_kittest/src/lib.rs b/crates/egui_kittest/src/lib.rs
index 3bbc61822..474f02ae8 100644
--- a/crates/egui_kittest/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_kittest/src/lib.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,19 @@ pub struct Harness<'a, State = ()> {
     response: Option<egui::Response>,
     state: State,
     renderer: Box<dyn TestRenderer>,
+
+    /// The image of a pass we already rendered, keyed by [`egui::Context::cumulative_pass_nr`].
+    ///
+    /// A pass should be rendered at most once. A paint callback can do GPU work of its own —
+    /// schedule a readback, say — and running it a second time for the same pass corrupts that
+    /// work.
+    #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+    last_render: Option<(u64, image::RgbaImage)>,
+
+    /// Render every pass. See [`HarnessBuilder::with_render_every_step`].
+    #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+    render_every_step: bool,
+
     max_steps: u64,
     step_dt: f32,
     wait_for_pending_images: bool,
@@ -135,6 +148,9 @@ impl<'a, State> Harness<'a, State> {
             mut renderer,
             wait_for_pending_images,
 
+            #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+            render_every_step,
+
             #[cfg(feature = "snapshot")]
             default_snapshot_options,
 
@@ -185,6 +201,13 @@ impl<'a, State> Harness<'a, State> {
             response,
             state,
             renderer,
+
+            #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+            last_render: None,
+
+            #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+            render_every_step,
+
             max_steps,
             step_dt,
             wait_for_pending_images,
@@ -293,6 +316,12 @@ impl<'a, State> Harness<'a, State> {
         self.renderer.handle_delta(&mut output.textures_delta);
         self.output = output;
 
+        #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+        if self.render_every_step {
+            self.render()
+                .expect("Failed to render during `render_every_step`");
+        }
+
         self.handle_viewport_commands();
     }
 
@@ -683,18 +712,45 @@ impl<'a, State> Harness<'a, State> {
     /// This will add a [`RectShape`] to the output shapes, for the current frame.
     /// Will be overwritten on the next call to [`Self::run`].
     pub fn mask(&mut self, rect: Rect) {
+        #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+        {
+            // This changes what a render of this pass looks like.
+            self.last_render = None;
+        }
+
         self.output.shapes.push(ClippedShape {
             clip_rect: Rect::EVERYTHING,
             shape: Shape::Rect(RectShape::filled(rect, 0.0, Color32::MAGENTA)),
         });
     }
 
+    /// Should every step be rendered?
+    ///
+    /// Useful when test logic requires some specific gpu logic, e.g. reading data back from the gpu.
+    #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn set_render_every_step(&mut self, render_every_step: bool) {
+        self.render_every_step = render_every_step;
+    }
+
     /// Render the last output to an image.
     ///
+    /// When calling this multiple times on the same frame, or when [`Self::set_render_every_step`] is
+    /// true, this will return the already-rendered frame.
+    ///
     /// # Errors
     /// Returns an error if the rendering fails.
     #[cfg(any(feature = "wgpu", feature = "snapshot"))]
     pub fn render(&mut self) -> Result<image::RgbaImage, String> {
+        let pass_nr = self.ctx.cumulative_pass_nr();
+
+        // Rendering a pass twice would run its paint callbacks twice. See `last_render`.
+        if let Some((rendered_pass_nr, image)) = &self.last_render
+            && *rendered_pass_nr == pass_nr
+        {
+            return Ok(image.clone());
+        }
+
         let mut output = self.output.clone();
 
         if let Some(mouse_pos) = self.ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.hover_pos()) {
@@ -716,7 +772,9 @@ impl<'a, State> Harness<'a, State> {
             });
         }
 
-        self.renderer.render(&self.ctx, &output)
+        let image = self.renderer.render(&self.ctx, &output)?;
+        self.last_render = Some((pass_nr, image.clone()));
+        Ok(image)
     }
 
     /// Apply the [`egui::ViewportCommand`]s the app emitted during the last frame.