diff --git a/src/core/window.c b/src/core/window.c
index c0e4e8adb..cbad732b3 100644
--- a/src/core/window.c
+++ b/src/core/window.c
@@ -6413,24 +6413,7 @@ recalc_window_type (MetaWindow *window)
 
   old_type = window->type;
 
-  if (window->override_redirect)
-    {
-      if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DROPDOWN_MENU)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_DROPDOWN_MENU;
-      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_POPUP_MENU)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_POPUP_MENU;
-      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLTIP)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_TOOLTIP;
-      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_NOTIFICATION)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_NOTIFICATION;
-      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_COMBO)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_COMBO;
-      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DND)
-        window->type = META_WINDOW_DND;
-      else
-	window->type = META_WINDOW_OVERRIDE_OTHER;
-    }
-  else if (window->type_atom != None)
+  if (window->type_atom != None)
     {
       if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DESKTOP)
         window->type = META_WINDOW_DESKTOP;
@@ -6448,9 +6431,44 @@ recalc_window_type (MetaWindow *window)
         window->type = META_WINDOW_DIALOG;
       else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_NORMAL)
         window->type = META_WINDOW_NORMAL;
+      /* The below are *typically* override-redirect windows, but the spec does
+       * not disallow using them for managed windows.
+       */
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DROPDOWN_MENU)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_DROPDOWN_MENU;
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_POPUP_MENU)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_POPUP_MENU;
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLTIP)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_TOOLTIP;
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_NOTIFICATION)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_NOTIFICATION;
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_COMBO)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_COMBO;
+      else if (window->type_atom  == window->display->atom__NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DND)
+        window->type = META_WINDOW_DND;
+      else if (window->override_redirect)
+	window->type = META_WINDOW_OVERRIDE_OTHER;
       else
-        meta_bug ("Set a type atom for %s that wasn't handled in recalc_window_type\n",
-                  window->desc);
+        {
+          char *atom_name;
+
+          /*
+           * Fallback on a normal type, and print warning. Don't abort.
+           */
+          window->type = META_WINDOW_NORMAL;
+
+          meta_error_trap_push (window->display);
+          atom_name = XGetAtomName (window->display->xdisplay,
+                                    window->type_atom);
+          meta_error_trap_pop (window->display, TRUE);
+
+          meta_warning ("Unrecognized type atom [%s] set for %s \n",
+                        atom_name ? atom_name : "unknown",
+                        window->desc);
+
+          if (atom_name)
+            XFree (atom_name);
+        }
     }
   else if (window->xtransient_for != None)
     {