diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index 225d14d33..539ca5348 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -859,6 +859,7 @@ meta_backend_x11_class_init (MetaBackendX11Class *klass)
 static void
 meta_backend_x11_init (MetaBackendX11 *x11)
 {
+  XInitThreads ();
 }
 
 Display *