diff --git a/src/tests/meson.build b/src/tests/meson.build
index a074a325f..3408d72b9 100644
--- a/src/tests/meson.build
+++ b/src/tests/meson.build
@@ -176,21 +176,6 @@ stage_view_tests = executable('mutter-stage-view-tests',
   install_dir: mutter_installed_tests_libexecdir,
 )
 
-wayland_tests = executable('mutter-wayland-tests',
-  sources: [
-    'meta-wayland-test-driver.c',
-    'meta-wayland-test-driver.h',
-    'wayland-unit-tests.c',
-    test_driver_server_header,
-    test_driver_protocol_code,
-  ],
-  include_directories: tests_includes,
-  c_args: tests_c_args,
-  dependencies: libmutter_test_dep,
-  install: have_installed_tests,
-  install_dir: mutter_installed_tests_libexecdir,
-)
-
 anonymous_file_test = executable('anonymous-file-tests',
   sources: [
     'anonymous-file.c',
@@ -273,6 +258,21 @@ if have_native_tests
     install: have_installed_tests,
     install_dir: mutter_installed_tests_libexecdir,
   )
+
+  wayland_tests = executable('mutter-wayland-tests',
+    sources: [
+      'meta-wayland-test-driver.c',
+      'meta-wayland-test-driver.h',
+      'wayland-unit-tests.c',
+      test_driver_server_header,
+      test_driver_protocol_code,
+    ],
+    include_directories: tests_includes,
+    c_args: tests_c_args,
+    dependencies: libmutter_test_dep,
+    install: have_installed_tests,
+    install_dir: mutter_installed_tests_libexecdir,
+  )
 endif
 
 stacking_tests = [
@@ -338,13 +338,6 @@ test('stage-view', stage_view_tests,
   timeout: 60,
 )
 
-test('wayland', wayland_tests,
-  suite: ['core', 'mutter/unit'],
-  env: test_env,
-  is_parallel: false,
-  timeout: 60,
-)
-
 test('anonymous-file', anonymous_file_test,
   suite: ['core', 'mutter/unit'],
   env: test_env,
@@ -380,4 +373,11 @@ if have_native_tests
     is_parallel: false,
     timeout: 60,
   )
+
+  test('wayland', wayland_tests,
+    suite: ['core', 'mutter/unit'],
+    env: test_env,
+    is_parallel: false,
+    timeout: 60,
+  )
 endif
diff --git a/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c b/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
index d001db2ad..3f8c62c0c 100644
--- a/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <gio/gio.h>
 
+#include "backends/meta-virtual-monitor.h"
 #include "core/display-private.h"
 #include "core/window-private.h"
 #include "meta-test/meta-context-test.h"
@@ -33,7 +34,9 @@ typedef struct _WaylandTestClient
   GMainLoop *main_loop;
 } WaylandTestClient;
 
+static MetaContext *test_context;
 static MetaWaylandTestDriver *test_driver;
+static MetaVirtualMonitor *virtual_monitor;
 
 static char *
 get_test_client_path (const char *test_client_name)
@@ -259,14 +262,33 @@ toplevel_activation (void)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_run_wayland_tests (void)
+on_before_tests (void)
 {
-  MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor;
-
-  compositor = meta_wayland_compositor_get_default ();
-  g_assert_nonnull (compositor);
+  MetaBackend *backend = meta_context_get_backend (test_context);
+  MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager = meta_backend_get_monitor_manager (backend);
+  MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor =
+    meta_context_get_wayland_compositor (test_context);
+  g_autoptr (MetaVirtualMonitorInfo) monitor_info = NULL;
+  g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
 
   test_driver = meta_wayland_test_driver_new (compositor);
+
+  monitor_info = meta_virtual_monitor_info_new (400, 400, 60.0,
+                                                "MetaTestVendor",
+                                                "MetaVirtualMonitor",
+                                                "0x1234");
+  virtual_monitor = meta_monitor_manager_create_virtual_monitor (monitor_manager,
+                                                                 monitor_info,
+                                                                 &error);
+  if (!virtual_monitor)
+    g_error ("Failed to create virtual monitor: %s", error->message);
+  meta_monitor_manager_reload (monitor_manager);
+}
+
+static void
+on_after_tests (void)
+{
+  g_clear_object (&virtual_monitor);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -291,14 +313,18 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   g_autoptr (MetaContext) context = NULL;
 
-  context = meta_create_test_context (META_CONTEXT_TEST_TYPE_NESTED,
-                                      META_CONTEXT_TEST_FLAG_TEST_CLIENT);
+  context = meta_create_test_context (META_CONTEXT_TEST_TYPE_HEADLESS,
+                                      META_CONTEXT_TEST_FLAG_NO_X11);
   g_assert (meta_context_configure (context, &argc, &argv, NULL));
 
+  test_context = context;
+
   init_wayland_tests ();
 
   g_signal_connect (context, "before-tests",
-                    G_CALLBACK (pre_run_wayland_tests), NULL);
+                    G_CALLBACK (on_before_tests), NULL);
+  g_signal_connect (context, "after-tests",
+                    G_CALLBACK (on_after_tests), NULL);
 
   return meta_context_test_run_tests (META_CONTEXT_TEST (context));
 }