diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index f3b0b89c9..9e6baa8be 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -1196,9 +1196,6 @@ clutter_stage_init (ClutterStage *self)
   clutter_actor_set_reactive (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self), TRUE);
   clutter_stage_set_title (self, g_get_prgname ());
   clutter_stage_set_key_focus (self, NULL);
-
-  /* Set the default size */
-  clutter_actor_set_size (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self), 640, 480);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c b/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
index a99d5f645..3764d3a8f 100644
--- a/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
+++ b/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ clutter_stage_glx_realize (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window)
     }
 
   /* no user resize.. */
-  clutter_stage_x11_fix_window_size (stage_x11, -1, -1);
+  clutter_stage_x11_fix_window_size (stage_x11,
+                                     stage_x11->xwin_width,
+                                     stage_x11->xwin_height);
   clutter_stage_x11_set_wm_protocols (stage_x11);
 
   /* ask for a context; a no-op, if a context already exists */
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-stage-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-stage-x11.c
index d4dad7091..754dcc280 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-stage-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-stage-x11.c
@@ -657,8 +657,8 @@ static void
 clutter_stage_x11_init (ClutterStageX11 *stage)
 {
   stage->xwin = None;
-  stage->xwin_width = 1;
-  stage->xwin_height = 1;
+  stage->xwin_width = 640;
+  stage->xwin_height = 480;
 
   stage->wm_state = STAGE_X11_WITHDRAWN;