diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
index 432d2c2aa..e3d2c5ab0 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
@@ -605,7 +605,23 @@ meta_backend_native_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
 
   if (!meta_backend_is_headless (backend))
     {
-      native->launcher = meta_launcher_new (error);
+      const char *session_id = NULL;
+      const char *seat_id = NULL;
+
+      switch (native->mode)
+        {
+        case META_BACKEND_NATIVE_MODE_DEFAULT:
+          break;
+        case META_BACKEND_NATIVE_MODE_HEADLESS:
+          g_assert_not_reached ();
+          break;
+        case META_BACKEND_NATIVE_MODE_TEST:
+          session_id = "dummy";
+          seat_id = "seat0";
+          break;
+        }
+
+      native->launcher = meta_launcher_new (session_id, seat_id, error);
       if (!native->launcher)
         return FALSE;
     }
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.c b/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.c
index e87a66af8..2d2f14dcf 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.c
@@ -221,8 +221,9 @@ find_systemd_session (gchar **session_id,
 }
 
 static MetaDbusLogin1Session *
-get_session_proxy (GCancellable *cancellable,
-                   GError      **error)
+get_session_proxy (const char    *fallback_session_id,
+                   GCancellable  *cancellable,
+                   GError       **error)
 {
   g_autofree char *proxy_path = NULL;
   g_autofree char *session_id = NULL;
@@ -232,10 +233,21 @@ get_session_proxy (GCancellable *cancellable,
 
   if (!find_systemd_session (&session_id, &local_error))
     {
-      g_propagate_prefixed_error (error,
-                                  g_steal_pointer (&local_error),
-                                  "Could not get session ID: ");
-      return NULL;
+      if (fallback_session_id)
+        {
+          meta_topic (META_DEBUG_BACKEND,
+                      "Failed to get seat ID: %s, using fallback (%s)",
+                      local_error->message, fallback_session_id);
+          g_clear_error (&local_error);
+          session_id = g_strdup (fallback_session_id);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          g_propagate_prefixed_error (error,
+                                      g_steal_pointer (&local_error),
+                                      "Could not get session ID: ");
+          return NULL;
+        }
     }
 
   proxy_path = get_escaped_dbus_path ("/org/freedesktop/login1/session", session_id);
@@ -340,15 +352,18 @@ meta_launcher_get_session_proxy (MetaLauncher *launcher)
 }
 
 MetaLauncher *
-meta_launcher_new (GError **error)
+meta_launcher_new (const char  *fallback_session_id,
+                   const char  *fallback_seat_id,
+                   GError     **error)
 {
   MetaLauncher *self = NULL;
   g_autoptr (MetaDbusLogin1Session) session_proxy = NULL;
   g_autoptr (MetaDbusLogin1Seat) seat_proxy = NULL;
+  g_autoptr (GError) local_error = NULL;
   g_autofree char *seat_id = NULL;
   gboolean have_control = FALSE;
 
-  session_proxy = get_session_proxy (NULL, error);
+  session_proxy = get_session_proxy (fallback_session_id, NULL, error);
   if (!session_proxy)
     goto fail;
 
@@ -363,9 +378,23 @@ meta_launcher_new (GError **error)
 
   have_control = TRUE;
 
-  seat_id = get_seat_id (error);
+  seat_id = get_seat_id (&local_error);
   if (!seat_id)
-    goto fail;
+    {
+      if (fallback_seat_id)
+        {
+          meta_topic (META_DEBUG_BACKEND,
+                      "Failed to get seat ID: %s, using fallback (%s)",
+                      local_error->message, fallback_seat_id);
+          g_clear_error (&local_error);
+          seat_id = g_strdup (fallback_seat_id);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          g_propagate_error (error, local_error);
+          goto fail;
+        }
+    }
 
   seat_proxy = get_seat_proxy (seat_id, NULL, error);
   if (!seat_proxy)
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.h b/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.h
index 267b68337..670699a4b 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.h
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-launcher.h
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@
 typedef struct _MetaLauncher MetaLauncher;
 typedef struct _MetaDbusLogin1Session MetaDbusLogin1Session;
 
-MetaLauncher     *meta_launcher_new                     (GError       **error);
+MetaLauncher     *meta_launcher_new                     (const char    *session_id,
+                                                         const char    *custom_seat_id,
+                                                         GError       **error);
 void              meta_launcher_free                    (MetaLauncher  *self);
 
 gboolean          meta_launcher_activate_vt             (MetaLauncher  *self,