diff --git a/src/core/keybindings.c b/src/core/keybindings.c
index 727a63a8f..01788c2cb 100644
--- a/src/core/keybindings.c
+++ b/src/core/keybindings.c
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@
 
 #ifdef HAVE_WAYLAND
 #include "meta-wayland-private.h"
-#include <fcntl.h>
-#include <sys/ioctl.h>
-#include <linux/vt.h>
 #endif
 
 #define SCHEMA_COMMON_KEYBINDINGS "org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings"
@@ -4084,18 +4081,6 @@ handle_set_spew_mark (MetaDisplay     *display,
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_WAYLAND
-static gboolean
-activate_vt (int vt)
-{
-  int tty, reply;
-
-  tty = open ("/dev/tty", O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY | O_CLOEXEC);
-  reply = ioctl (tty, VT_ACTIVATE, vt);
-  close (tty);
-
-  return (reply == 0);
-}
-
 static void
 handle_switch_vt (MetaDisplay     *display,
                   MetaScreen      *screen,
@@ -4104,10 +4089,28 @@ handle_switch_vt (MetaDisplay     *display,
                   MetaKeyBinding  *binding,
                   gpointer         dummy)
 {
-  gint vt = binding->handler->data;
+    gint vt = binding->handler->data;
+    MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor;
+    MetaLauncher *launcher;
 
-  if (!activate_vt (vt))
-    g_warning ("Failed to switch VT");
+    compositor = meta_wayland_compositor_get_default ();
+    launcher = meta_wayland_compositor_get_launcher (compositor);
+
+    if (launcher)
+      {
+        GError *error;
+
+        error = NULL;
+        if (!meta_launcher_activate_vt (launcher, vt, &error))
+          {
+            g_warning ("Failed to switch VT: %s", error->message);
+            g_error_free (error);
+          }
+      }
+    else
+      {
+        g_debug ("Ignoring VT switch keybinding, not running as VT manager");
+      }
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-private.h b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-private.h
index 26cd88ee0..6dc9620f0 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-private.h
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-private.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ void                    meta_wayland_compositor_set_input_focus (MetaWaylandComp
 gboolean                meta_wayland_compositor_handle_event    (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor,
                                                                  const ClutterEvent    *event);
 
+MetaLauncher           *meta_wayland_compositor_get_launcher    (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor);
 gboolean                meta_wayland_compositor_is_native       (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor);
 
 MetaWaylandBuffer *     meta_wayland_buffer_from_resource       (struct wl_resource *resource);
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland.c
index 84b51edfe..1db2fceb4 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland.c
@@ -764,6 +764,12 @@ meta_wayland_finalize (void)
   meta_launcher_free (compositor->launcher);
 }
 
+MetaLauncher *
+meta_wayland_compositor_get_launcher (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor)
+{
+  return compositor->launcher;
+}
+
 gboolean
 meta_wayland_compositor_is_native (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor)
 {
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.c b/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.c
index c86185a88..f24221d1c 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.c
@@ -385,3 +385,17 @@ meta_launcher_free (MetaLauncher *launcher)
 
   g_slice_free (MetaLauncher, launcher);
 }
+
+gboolean
+meta_launcher_activate_vt (MetaLauncher  *launcher,
+			   int            vt,
+			   GError       **error)
+{
+  struct weston_launcher_activate_vt message;
+
+  message.header.opcode = WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE_VT;
+  message.vt = vt;
+
+  return send_message_to_wl (launcher, &message, sizeof (message), NULL, NULL, error);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.h b/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.h
index 498edbb7f..96bc13bf7 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.h
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-weston-launch.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ typedef struct _MetaLauncher MetaLauncher;
 MetaLauncher     *meta_launcher_new                     (void);
 void              meta_launcher_free                    (MetaLauncher  *self);
 
+gboolean          meta_launcher_activate_vt             (MetaLauncher  *self,
+							 int            number,
+							 GError       **error);
+
 gboolean          meta_launcher_set_drm_fd              (MetaLauncher  *self,
 							 int            drm_fd,
 							 GError       **error);
diff --git a/src/wayland/weston-launch.c b/src/wayland/weston-launch.c
index cbd7c9e67..773eea4bd 100644
--- a/src/wayland/weston-launch.c
+++ b/src/wayland/weston-launch.c
@@ -269,6 +269,40 @@ out:
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int
+handle_activate_vt(struct weston_launch *wl, struct msghdr *msg, ssize_t len)
+{
+        struct weston_launcher_reply reply;
+	struct weston_launcher_activate_vt *message;
+
+	reply.header.opcode = WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE_VT;
+	reply.ret = -1;
+
+	if (len != sizeof(*message)) {
+		error(0, 0, "missing value in activate_vt request");
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	message = msg->msg_iov->iov_base;
+
+	reply.ret = ioctl(wl->tty, VT_ACTIVATE, message->vt);
+	if (reply.ret < 0)
+		reply.ret = -errno;
+
+	if (wl->verbose)
+		fprintf(stderr, "mutter-launch: activate VT, ret: %d\n", reply.ret);
+
+out:
+	do {
+		len = send(wl->sock[0], &reply, sizeof reply, 0);
+	} while (len < 0 && errno == EINTR);
+	if (len < 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
 static int
 handle_open(struct weston_launch *wl, struct msghdr *msg, ssize_t len)
 {
@@ -385,6 +419,9 @@ handle_socket_msg(struct weston_launch *wl)
 	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_CONFIRM_VT_SWITCH:
 		ret = handle_confirm_vt_switch(wl, &msg, len);
 		break;
+	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE_VT:
+		ret = handle_activate_vt(wl, &msg, len);
+		break;
 	}
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/src/wayland/weston-launch.h b/src/wayland/weston-launch.h
index 63e28098c..74e6c3be6 100644
--- a/src/wayland/weston-launch.h
+++ b/src/wayland/weston-launch.h
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ enum weston_launcher_message_type {
 enum weston_launcher_opcode {
 	WESTON_LAUNCHER_OPEN              = (1 << 1 | WESTON_LAUNCHER_REQUEST),
 	WESTON_LAUNCHER_DRM_SET_FD        = (2 << 1 | WESTON_LAUNCHER_REQUEST),
-	WESTON_LAUNCHER_CONFIRM_VT_SWITCH = (3 << 1 | WESTON_LAUNCHER_REQUEST),
+	WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE_VT       = (3 << 1 | WESTON_LAUNCHER_REQUEST),
+	WESTON_LAUNCHER_CONFIRM_VT_SWITCH = (4 << 1 | WESTON_LAUNCHER_REQUEST),
 };
 
 enum weston_launcher_server_opcode {