diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
index 399560f1e..98d6c1a57 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
@@ -234,10 +234,6 @@ meta_backend_native_post_init (MetaBackend *backend)
 #endif
 
   update_viewports (backend);
-
-#ifdef HAVE_WAYLAND
-  meta_backend_init_wayland (backend);
-#endif
 }
 
 static MetaMonitorManager *
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c b/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
index dd9f31858..bf6296dbf 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/nested/meta-backend-x11-nested.c
@@ -243,10 +243,6 @@ meta_backend_x11_nested_post_init (MetaBackend *backend)
     META_BACKEND_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_nested_parent_class);
 
   backend_class->post_init (backend);
-
-#ifdef HAVE_WAYLAND
-  meta_backend_init_wayland (backend);
-#endif
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index dae1b4e53..76d3ef5df 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -852,6 +852,11 @@ meta_start (void)
 {
   meta_prefs_init ();
 
+#ifdef HAVE_WAYLAND
+  if (meta_is_wayland_compositor ())
+    meta_backend_init_wayland (meta_get_backend ());
+#endif
+
   if (!meta_display_open ())
     meta_exit (META_EXIT_ERROR);
 }