diff --git a/data/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in b/data/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
index 20b7e4276..ec8958f81 100644
--- a/data/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
+++ b/data/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@
                                         is already enabled by default when using
                                         the i915 driver, but disabled for 
                                         everything else. Requires a restart.
+
+        • “autoclose-xwayland”        — Automatically terminates Xwayland if all
+                                        relevant X11 clients are gone. Does not
+                                        require a restart.
+
       </description>
     </key>
 
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-settings-private.h b/src/backends/meta-settings-private.h
index c0621cb08..629406550 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-settings-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-settings-private.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ typedef enum _MetaExperimentalFeature
   META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_RT_SCHEDULER = (1 << 2),
   META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_AUTOSTART_XWAYLAND  = (1 << 3),
   META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_DMA_BUF_SCREEN_SHARING = (1 << 4),
+  META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_AUTOCLOSE_XWAYLAND  = (1 << 5),
 } MetaExperimentalFeature;
 
 typedef enum _MetaXwaylandExtension
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-settings.c b/src/backends/meta-settings.c
index 553e2cd1c..8d5baaa6f 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-settings.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-settings.c
@@ -275,6 +275,8 @@ experimental_features_handler (GVariant *features_variant,
         feature = META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_AUTOSTART_XWAYLAND;
       else if (g_str_equal (feature_str, "dma-buf-screen-sharing"))
         feature = META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_DMA_BUF_SCREEN_SHARING;
+      else if (g_str_equal (feature_str, "autoclose-xwayland"))
+        feature = META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_AUTOCLOSE_XWAYLAND;
 
       if (feature)
         g_message ("Enabling experimental feature '%s'", feature_str);
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-xwayland.c b/src/wayland/meta-xwayland.c
index c26a5f539..b11b32b3e 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-xwayland.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-xwayland.c
@@ -529,6 +529,11 @@ shutdown_xwayland_cb (gpointer data)
 {
   MetaXWaylandManager *manager = data;
   MetaDisplay *display = meta_get_display ();
+  MetaBackend *backend = meta_get_backend ();
+
+  if (!meta_settings_is_experimental_feature_enabled (meta_backend_get_settings (backend),
+                                                      META_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURE_AUTOCLOSE_XWAYLAND))
+    return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
 
   if (!can_terminate_xwayland (display->x11_display->xdisplay))
     return G_SOURCE_CONTINUE;