diff --git a/src/display-x11.cc b/src/display-x11.cc
index f5d7c646..a01edf5d 100644
--- a/src/display-x11.cc
+++ b/src/display-x11.cc
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ bool display_output_x11::shutdown() { return false; }
 
 bool display_output_x11::main_loop_wait(double t) {
   /* wait for X event or timeout */
+  if(!display || !window.gc)
+    return true;
 
   if (XPending(display) == 0) {
     fd_set fdsr;
diff --git a/src/x11.cc b/src/x11.cc
index a3573327..2b088fcc 100644
--- a/src/x11.cc
+++ b/src/x11.cc
@@ -231,11 +231,13 @@ static void init_X11() {
                            ? dispstr.c_str()
                            : nullptr;
     if ((display = XOpenDisplay(disp)) == nullptr) {
+      std::string err = std::string("can't open display: ") +
+        XDisplayName(disp);
 #ifdef BUILD_WAYLAND
+      fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", err.c_str());
       return;
 #else
-      throw std::runtime_error(std::string("can't open display: ") +
-                               XDisplayName(disp));
+      throw std::runtime_error(err);
 #endif
     }
   }