diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
index 6b7fca07e..5e866a150 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
@@ -306,16 +306,14 @@ update_all_gamma (MetaColorManager *color_manager)
 }
 
 static void
-on_temperature_changed (MetaDBusSettingsDaemonColor *gsd_color,
-                        GParamSpec                  *pspec,
-                        MetaColorManager            *color_manager)
+update_temperature (MetaColorManager *color_manager)
 {
   MetaColorManagerPrivate *priv =
     meta_color_manager_get_instance_private (color_manager);
   unsigned int temperature;
 
-  temperature = meta_dbus_settings_daemon_color_get_temperature (gsd_color);
-  if (priv->temperature == temperature)
+  temperature = meta_dbus_settings_daemon_color_get_temperature (priv->gsd_color);
+  if (temperature == 0 || priv->temperature == temperature)
     return;
 
   if (temperature < 1000 || temperature > 10000)
@@ -329,6 +327,14 @@ on_temperature_changed (MetaDBusSettingsDaemonColor *gsd_color,
   update_all_gamma (color_manager);
 }
 
+static void
+on_temperature_changed (MetaDBusSettingsDaemonColor *gsd_color,
+                        GParamSpec                  *pspec,
+                        MetaColorManager            *color_manager)
+{
+  update_temperature (color_manager);
+}
+
 static void
 on_gsd_color_ready (GObject      *source_object,
                     GAsyncResult *res,
@@ -359,7 +365,7 @@ on_gsd_color_ready (GObject      *source_object,
                     G_CALLBACK (on_temperature_changed),
                     color_manager);
 
-  update_all_gamma (color_manager);
+  update_temperature (color_manager);
 }
 
 static void