diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-dummy.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-dummy.c
index b45922b57..004374a17 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-dummy.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-dummy.c
@@ -506,10 +506,11 @@ meta_monitor_manager_dummy_apply_monitors_config (MetaMonitorManager      *manag
 
   if (!config)
     {
-      manager->screen_width = 0;
-      manager->screen_height = 0;
+      manager->screen_width = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_WIDTH;
+      manager->screen_height = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_HEIGHT;
 
       meta_monitor_manager_rebuild (manager, NULL);
+      return TRUE;
     }
 
   if (!meta_monitor_config_manager_assign (manager, config,
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
index 563bf92e2..707d639d8 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ typedef struct _MetaCrtcInfo MetaCrtcInfo;
 typedef struct _MetaOutputInfo MetaOutputInfo;
 typedef struct _MetaTileInfo MetaTileInfo;
 
+#define META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_WIDTH 640
+#define META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_HEIGHT 480
+
 typedef enum _MetaMonitorManagerCapability
 {
   META_MONITOR_MANAGER_CAPABILITY_NONE = 0,
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c b/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
index 1105dc5c5..6507e51e2 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-monitor-manager-kms.c
@@ -1425,8 +1425,8 @@ meta_monitor_manager_kms_apply_monitors_config (MetaMonitorManager      *manager
 
   if (!config)
     {
-      manager->screen_width = 0;
-      manager->screen_height = 0;
+      manager->screen_width = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_WIDTH;
+      manager->screen_height = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_HEIGHT;
       meta_monitor_manager_rebuild (manager, NULL);
       return TRUE;
     }
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-monitor-manager-test.c b/src/tests/meta-monitor-manager-test.c
index c407ed00c..4b0634e68 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-monitor-manager-test.c
+++ b/src/tests/meta-monitor-manager-test.c
@@ -276,9 +276,8 @@ meta_monitor_manager_test_apply_monitors_config (MetaMonitorManager      *manage
 
   if (!config)
     {
-      /* The screen is made 1x1, as clutter stage used cannot be empty. */
-      manager->screen_width = 1;
-      manager->screen_height = 1;
+      manager->screen_width = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_WIDTH;
+      manager->screen_height = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_HEIGHT;
 
       if (meta_is_stage_views_enabled ())
         {
diff --git a/src/tests/monitor-unit-tests.c b/src/tests/monitor-unit-tests.c
index 53455c1f7..e2dcdc59c 100644
--- a/src/tests/monitor-unit-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/monitor-unit-tests.c
@@ -2563,9 +2563,8 @@ meta_test_monitor_no_outputs (void)
       .n_outputs = 0,
       .n_crtcs = 0,
       .n_tiled_monitors = 0,
-      /* The screen is made 1x1, as clutter stage used cannot be empty. */
-      .screen_width = 1,
-      .screen_height = 1
+      .screen_width = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_WIDTH,
+      .screen_height = META_MONITOR_MANAGER_MIN_SCREEN_HEIGHT
     }
   };
   MetaMonitorTestSetup *test_setup;