diff --git a/include/rootston/desktop.h b/include/rootston/desktop.h
index f150147b..83ff2ea8 100644
--- a/include/rootston/desktop.h
+++ b/include/rootston/desktop.h
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ struct roots_desktop {
 #ifdef WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND
 	struct wlr_xwayland *xwayland;
 	struct wl_listener xwayland_surface;
-	struct wl_listener xwayland_ready;
 #endif
 };
 
diff --git a/rootston/main.c b/rootston/main.c
index a61d65c9..18d27a8a 100644
--- a/rootston/main.c
+++ b/rootston/main.c
@@ -14,18 +14,6 @@
 
 struct roots_server server = { 0 };
 
-static void ready(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
-	if (server.config->startup_cmd != NULL) {
-		const char *cmd = server.config->startup_cmd;
-		pid_t pid = fork();
-		if (pid < 0) {
-			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "cannot execute binding command: fork() failed");
-		} else if (pid == 0) {
-			execl("/bin/sh", "/bin/sh", "-c", cmd, (void *)NULL);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	wlr_log_init(L_DEBUG, NULL);
 	server.config = roots_config_create_from_args(argc, argv);
@@ -65,21 +53,24 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	setenv("WAYLAND_DISPLAY", socket, true);
-#ifndef WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND
-	ready(NULL, NULL);
-#else
+#ifdef WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND
 	if (server.desktop->xwayland != NULL) {
 		struct roots_seat *xwayland_seat =
 			input_get_seat(server.input, ROOTS_CONFIG_DEFAULT_SEAT_NAME);
 		wlr_xwayland_set_seat(server.desktop->xwayland, xwayland_seat->seat);
-		wl_signal_add(&server.desktop->xwayland->events.ready,
-			&server.desktop->xwayland_ready);
-		server.desktop->xwayland_ready.notify = ready;
-	} else {
-		ready(NULL, NULL);
 	}
 #endif
 
+	if (server.config->startup_cmd != NULL) {
+		const char *cmd = server.config->startup_cmd;
+		pid_t pid = fork();
+		if (pid < 0) {
+			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "cannot execute binding command: fork() failed");
+		} else if (pid == 0) {
+			execl("/bin/sh", "/bin/sh", "-c", cmd, (void *)NULL);
+		}
+	}
+
 	wl_display_run(server.wl_display);
 	wl_display_destroy(server.wl_display);
 	return 0;