diff --git a/js/ui/workspacesView.js b/js/ui/workspacesView.js
index 955aee0c6..f24068293 100644
--- a/js/ui/workspacesView.js
+++ b/js/ui/workspacesView.js
@@ -567,8 +567,6 @@ WorkspacesDisplay.prototype = {
         this._updateAlwaysZoom();
 
         Main.layoutManager.connect('monitors-changed', Lang.bind(this, this._updateAlwaysZoom));
-        global.screen.connect('notify::n-workspaces',
-                              Lang.bind(this, this._workspacesChanged));
 
         Main.xdndHandler.connect('drag-begin', Lang.bind(this, function(){
             this._alwaysZoomOut = true;
@@ -581,6 +579,7 @@ WorkspacesDisplay.prototype = {
 
         this._switchWorkspaceNotifyId = 0;
 
+        this._nWorkspacesChangedId = 0;
         this._itemDragBeginId = 0;
         this._itemDragCancelledId = 0;
         this._itemDragEndId = 0;
@@ -589,7 +588,7 @@ WorkspacesDisplay.prototype = {
         this._windowDragEndId = 0;
     },
 
-   show: function() {
+    show: function() {
         this._zoomOut = this._alwaysZoomOut;
         this._zoomFraction = this._alwaysZoomOut ? 1 : 0;
         this._updateZoom();
@@ -612,6 +611,9 @@ WorkspacesDisplay.prototype = {
             global.screen.connect('restacked',
                                   Lang.bind(this, this._onRestacked));
 
+        if (this._nWorkspacesChangedId == 0)
+            this._nWorkspacesChangedId = global.screen.connect('notify::n-workspaces',
+                                                               Lang.bind(this, this._workspacesChanged));
         if (this._itemDragBeginId == 0)
             this._itemDragBeginId = Main.overview.connect('item-drag-begin',
                                                           Lang.bind(this, this._dragBegin));