diff --git a/src/xwayland/selection.c b/src/xwayland/selection.c
index 4bc8efb0..83ea2b32 100644
--- a/src/xwayland/selection.c
+++ b/src/xwayland/selection.c
@@ -651,3 +651,36 @@ weston_wm_set_selection(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 					XCB_TIME_CURRENT_TIME);
 	}
 }
+
+void
+weston_wm_selection_init(struct weston_wm *wm)
+{
+	struct wl_seat *seat;
+	uint32_t values[1], mask;
+
+	wm->selection_request.requestor = XCB_NONE;
+
+	values[0] = XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE;
+	wm->selection_window = xcb_generate_id(wm->conn);
+	xcb_create_window(wm->conn,
+			  XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT,
+			  wm->selection_window,
+			  wm->screen->root,
+			  0, 0,
+			  10, 10,
+			  0,
+			  XCB_WINDOW_CLASS_INPUT_OUTPUT,
+			  wm->screen->root_visual,
+			  XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, values);
+
+	mask =
+		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SET_SELECTION_OWNER |
+		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SELECTION_WINDOW_DESTROY |
+		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SELECTION_CLIENT_CLOSE;
+	xcb_xfixes_select_selection_input(wm->conn, wm->selection_window,
+					  wm->atom.clipboard, mask);
+
+	seat = &wm->server->compositor->seat->seat;
+	wm->selection_listener.notify = weston_wm_set_selection;
+	wl_signal_add(&seat->selection_signal, &wm->selection_listener);
+}
diff --git a/src/xwayland/window-manager.c b/src/xwayland/window-manager.c
index 92601e5d..59e4e3db 100644
--- a/src/xwayland/window-manager.c
+++ b/src/xwayland/window-manager.c
@@ -1114,11 +1114,10 @@ weston_wm_create_wm_window(struct weston_wm *wm)
 struct weston_wm *
 weston_wm_create(struct weston_xserver *wxs)
 {
-	struct wl_seat *seat;
 	struct weston_wm *wm;
 	struct wl_event_loop *loop;
 	xcb_screen_iterator_t s;
-	uint32_t values[1], mask;
+	uint32_t values[1];
 	int sv[2];
 	xcb_atom_t supported[1];
 
@@ -1186,34 +1185,10 @@ weston_wm_create(struct weston_xserver *wxs)
 			    32, /* format */
 			    ARRAY_LENGTH(supported), supported);
 
-	wm->selection_request.requestor = XCB_NONE;
-
-	wm->selection_window = xcb_generate_id(wm->conn);
-	xcb_create_window(wm->conn,
-			  XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT,
-			  wm->selection_window,
-			  wm->screen->root,
-			  0, 0,
-			  10, 10,
-			  0,
-			  XCB_WINDOW_CLASS_INPUT_OUTPUT,
-			  wm->screen->root_visual,
-			  XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, values);
-
-	mask =
-		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SET_SELECTION_OWNER |
-		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SELECTION_WINDOW_DESTROY |
-		XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_EVENT_MASK_SELECTION_CLIENT_CLOSE;
-
-	xcb_xfixes_select_selection_input(wm->conn, wm->selection_window,
-					  wm->atom.clipboard, mask);
+	weston_wm_selection_init(wm);
 
 	xcb_flush(wm->conn);
 
-	seat = &wxs->compositor->seat->seat;
-	wm->selection_listener.notify = weston_wm_set_selection;
-	wl_signal_add(&seat->selection_signal, &wm->selection_listener);
-
 	wm->activate_listener.notify = weston_wm_window_activate;
 	wl_signal_add(&wxs->compositor->activate_signal,
 		      &wm->activate_listener);
diff --git a/src/xwayland/xwayland.h b/src/xwayland/xwayland.h
index 5922ddaa..e2ca4e43 100644
--- a/src/xwayland/xwayland.h
+++ b/src/xwayland/xwayland.h
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ read_and_dump_property(struct weston_wm *wm,
 const char *
 get_atom_name(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_atom_t atom);
 
+void
+weston_wm_selection_init(struct weston_wm *wm);
 int
 weston_wm_handle_selection_event(struct weston_wm *wm,
 				 xcb_generic_event_t *event);