diff --git a/clients/window.c b/clients/window.c
index 09e9b70f..0e95f8e9 100644
--- a/clients/window.c
+++ b/clients/window.c
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ struct display {
 	int epoll_fd;
 	struct wl_list deferred_list;
 
+	int running;
+
 	struct wl_list window_list;
 	struct wl_list input_list;
 	struct wl_list output_list;
@@ -2695,11 +2697,15 @@ display_run(struct display *display)
 	struct epoll_event ep[16];
 	int i, count;
 
+	display->running = 1;
 	while (1) {
 		while (display->mask & WL_DISPLAY_WRITABLE)
 			wl_display_iterate(display->display,
 					   WL_DISPLAY_WRITABLE);
 
+		if (!display->running)
+			break;
+
 		count = epoll_wait(display->epoll_fd,
 				   ep, ARRAY_LENGTH(ep), -1);
 		for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
@@ -2715,3 +2721,9 @@ display_run(struct display *display)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void
+display_exit(struct display *display)
+{
+	display->running = 0;
+}
diff --git a/clients/window.h b/clients/window.h
index 59397f0f..20bf4e2b 100644
--- a/clients/window.h
+++ b/clients/window.h
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ display_watch_fd(struct display *display,
 void
 display_run(struct display *d);
 
+void
+display_exit(struct display *d);
+
 enum pointer_type {
 	POINTER_BOTTOM_LEFT,
 	POINTER_BOTTOM_RIGHT,