diff --git a/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c b/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
index 509dbbe72..9b39fdd13 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/cm/meta-backend-x11-cm.c
@@ -507,15 +507,9 @@ static void
 meta_backend_x11_cm_constructed (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaBackendX11Cm *x11_cm = META_BACKEND_X11_CM (object);
-  const char *display_name;
 
   if (x11_cm->display_name)
-    display_name = (const char *) x11_cm->display_name;
-  else
-    display_name = g_getenv ("MUTTER_DISPLAY");
-
-  if (display_name)
-    g_setenv ("DISPLAY", display_name, TRUE);
+    g_setenv ("DISPLAY", x11_cm->display_name, TRUE);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_cm_parent_class)->constructed (object);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/meta-context-main.c b/src/core/meta-context-main.c
index 30c410918..0cdb01457 100644
--- a/src/core/meta-context-main.c
+++ b/src/core/meta-context-main.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ find_session_type (GError **error)
     }
 
   /* Legacy support for starting through xinit */
-  if (is_tty && (g_getenv ("MUTTER_DISPLAY") || g_getenv ("DISPLAY")))
+  if (is_tty && g_getenv ("DISPLAY"))
     {
       session_type = strdup ("x11");
       goto out;