diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
index 0f2714f42..2a0db2273 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-surface.c
@@ -486,6 +486,9 @@ apply_pending_state (MetaWaylandSurface      *surface,
 
   if (pending->newly_attached)
     {
+      if (!surface->buffer && surface->window)
+        meta_window_queue (surface->window, META_QUEUE_CALC_SHOWING);
+
       surface_set_buffer (surface, pending->buffer);
 
       if (pending->buffer)