diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
index 9de418a5d..6d695dd57 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
@@ -542,19 +542,76 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_get_stored (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_manager
 typedef enum _MonitorMatchRule
 {
   MONITOR_MATCH_ALL = 0,
-  MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL = (1 << 0)
+  MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL = (1 << 0),
+  MONITOR_MATCH_BUILTIN = (1 << 1),
+  MONITOR_MATCH_VISIBLE = (1 << 2),
+  MONITOR_MATCH_WITH_SUGGESTED_POSITION = (1 << 3),
 } MonitorMatchRule;
 
+static gboolean
+monitor_matches_rule (MetaMonitor        *monitor,
+                      MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
+                      MonitorMatchRule    match_rule)
+{
+  if (!monitor)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  if (match_rule & MONITOR_MATCH_BUILTIN)
+    {
+      if (!meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor))
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+  else if (match_rule & MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL)
+    {
+      if (meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor))
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  if (match_rule & MONITOR_MATCH_VISIBLE)
+    {
+      if (meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor) &&
+          is_lid_closed (monitor_manager))
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  if (match_rule & MONITOR_MATCH_WITH_SUGGESTED_POSITION)
+    {
+      if (!meta_monitor_get_suggested_position (monitor, NULL, NULL))
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
+static GList *
+find_monitors (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
+               MonitorMatchRule    match_rule)
+{
+  GList *result = NULL;
+  GList *monitors, *l;
+
+  monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get_monitors (monitor_manager);
+  for (l = g_list_last (monitors); l; l = l->prev)
+    {
+      MetaMonitor *monitor = l->data;
+
+      if (monitor_matches_rule (monitor, monitor_manager, match_rule))
+        result = g_list_prepend (result, monitor);
+    }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
 static MetaMonitor *
 find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
                                                 MonitorMatchRule    match_rule)
 {
-  GList *monitors;
+  g_autoptr (GList) monitors = NULL;
   GList *l;
   int largest_area = 0;
   MetaMonitor *largest_monitor = NULL;
 
-  monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get_monitors (monitor_manager);
+  monitors = find_monitors (monitor_manager, match_rule);
   for (l = monitors; l; l = l->next)
     {
       MetaMonitor *monitor = l->data;
@@ -562,12 +619,6 @@ find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_mana
       int width, height;
       int area;
 
-      if (match_rule & MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL)
-        {
-          if (meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor))
-            continue;
-        }
-
       mode = meta_monitor_get_preferred_mode (monitor);
       meta_monitor_mode_get_resolution (mode, &width, &height);
       area = width * height;
@@ -593,38 +644,28 @@ find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_mana
  * alternatives, except if no other alternatives exist.
  */
 static MetaMonitor *
-find_primary_monitor (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager)
+find_primary_monitor (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
+                      MonitorMatchRule    match_rule)
 {
   MetaMonitor *monitor;
 
-  if (is_lid_closed (monitor_manager))
-    {
-      monitor = meta_monitor_manager_get_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
-      if (monitor && !meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor))
-        return monitor;
+  match_rule |= MONITOR_MATCH_VISIBLE;
 
-      monitor =
-        find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (monitor_manager,
-                                                        MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL);
-      if (monitor)
-        return monitor;
+  monitor = meta_monitor_manager_get_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
+  if (monitor_matches_rule (monitor, monitor_manager, match_rule))
+    return monitor;
 
-      return find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (monitor_manager,
-                                                             MONITOR_MATCH_ALL);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-      monitor = meta_monitor_manager_get_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
-      if (monitor)
-        return monitor;
+  monitor = meta_monitor_manager_get_laptop_panel (monitor_manager);
+  if (monitor_matches_rule (monitor, monitor_manager, match_rule))
+    return monitor;
 
-      monitor = meta_monitor_manager_get_laptop_panel (monitor_manager);
-      if (monitor)
-        return monitor;
+  monitor = find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (monitor_manager,
+                                                            match_rule);
+  if (monitor)
+    return monitor;
 
-      return find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (monitor_manager,
-                                                             MONITOR_MATCH_ALL);
-    }
+  return find_monitor_with_highest_preferred_resolution (monitor_manager,
+                                                         MONITOR_MATCH_ALL);
 }
 
 static MetaMonitorConfig *
@@ -744,20 +785,22 @@ MetaMonitorsConfig *
 meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_manager)
 {
   MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager = config_manager->monitor_manager;
+  g_autoptr (GList) monitors = NULL;
   GList *logical_monitor_configs;
   MetaMonitor *primary_monitor;
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode layout_mode;
   MetaLogicalMonitorConfig *primary_logical_monitor_config;
   int x;
-  GList *monitors;
   GList *l;
   MetaMonitorsConfig *monitors_config;
 
-  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
+  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager,
+                                          MONITOR_MATCH_VISIBLE);
   if (!primary_monitor)
     return NULL;
 
   layout_mode = meta_monitor_manager_get_default_layout_mode (monitor_manager);
+  monitors = find_monitors (monitor_manager, MONITOR_MATCH_VISIBLE);
 
   primary_logical_monitor_config =
     create_preferred_logical_monitor_config (monitor_manager,
@@ -770,7 +813,6 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_mana
                                            primary_logical_monitor_config);
 
   x = primary_logical_monitor_config->layout.width;
-  monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get_monitors (monitor_manager);
   for (l = monitors; l; l = l->next)
     {
       MetaMonitor *monitor = l->data;
@@ -779,10 +821,6 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_mana
       if (monitor == primary_monitor)
         continue;
 
-      if (meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor) &&
-          is_lid_closed (monitor_manager))
-        continue;
-
       logical_monitor_config =
         create_preferred_logical_monitor_config (monitor_manager,
                                                  monitor,
@@ -815,7 +853,7 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_fallback (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_ma
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode layout_mode;
   MetaLogicalMonitorConfig *primary_logical_monitor_config;
 
-  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
+  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager, MONITOR_MATCH_ALL);
   if (!primary_monitor)
     return NULL;
 
@@ -842,21 +880,24 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_suggested (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_m
 {
   MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager = config_manager->monitor_manager;
   MetaLogicalMonitorConfig *primary_logical_monitor_config = NULL;
+  g_autoptr (GList) monitors = NULL;
   MetaMonitor *primary_monitor;
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode layout_mode;
   GList *logical_monitor_configs;
   GList *region;
-  int x, y;
-  GList *monitors;
   GList *l;
+  int x, y;
 
-  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager);
+  primary_monitor = find_primary_monitor (monitor_manager,
+                                          MONITOR_MATCH_WITH_SUGGESTED_POSITION);
   if (!primary_monitor)
     return NULL;
 
   if (!meta_monitor_get_suggested_position (primary_monitor, &x, &y))
     return NULL;
 
+  monitors = find_monitors (monitor_manager,
+                            MONITOR_MATCH_WITH_SUGGESTED_POSITION);
   layout_mode = meta_monitor_manager_get_default_layout_mode (monitor_manager);
 
   primary_logical_monitor_config =
@@ -870,7 +911,6 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_suggested (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_m
                                            primary_logical_monitor_config);
   region = g_list_prepend (NULL, &primary_logical_monitor_config->layout);
 
-  monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get_monitors (monitor_manager);
   for (l = monitors; l; l = l->next)
     {
       MetaMonitor *monitor = l->data;
@@ -879,8 +919,7 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_suggested (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_m
       if (monitor == primary_monitor)
         continue;
 
-      if (!meta_monitor_get_suggested_position (monitor, &x, &y))
-        continue;
+      meta_monitor_get_suggested_position (monitor, &x, &y);
 
       logical_monitor_config =
         create_preferred_logical_monitor_config (monitor_manager,
@@ -1211,24 +1250,21 @@ static MetaMonitorsConfig *
 create_for_switch_config_external (MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_manager)
 {
   MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager = config_manager->monitor_manager;
+  g_autoptr (GList) monitors = NULL;
   GList *logical_monitor_configs = NULL;
   int x = 0;
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode layout_mode;
-  GList *monitors;
   GList *l;
   MetaMonitorsConfig *monitors_config;
 
+  monitors = find_monitors (monitor_manager, MONITOR_MATCH_EXTERNAL);
   layout_mode = meta_monitor_manager_get_default_layout_mode (monitor_manager);
 
-  monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get_monitors (monitor_manager);
   for (l = monitors; l; l = l->next)
     {
       MetaMonitor *monitor = l->data;
       MetaLogicalMonitorConfig *logical_monitor_config;
 
-      if (meta_monitor_is_laptop_panel (monitor))
-        continue;
-
       logical_monitor_config =
         create_preferred_logical_monitor_config (monitor_manager,
                                                  monitor,