diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index c9fdc5a6..f0150e8a 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 weston_LDFLAGS = -export-dynamic
 weston_CFLAGS = $(GCC_CFLAGS)
 weston_LDADD =								\
-	$(COMPOSITOR_LIBS) $(DLOPEN_LIBS) $(XSERVER_LAUNCHER_LIBS) -lm	\
-	../shared/libconfig-parser.la
+	$(COMPOSITOR_LIBS) $(DLOPEN_LIBS) -lm ../shared/libconfig-parser.la
 
 weston_SOURCES =			\
 	compositor.c				\
@@ -23,8 +22,7 @@ weston_SOURCES =			\
 	util.c					\
 	matrix.c				\
 	matrix.h				\
-	weston-launch.h				\
-	$(xserver_launcher_sources)
+	weston-launch.h
 
 if BUILD_WESTON_LAUNCH
 weston_launch = weston-launch
@@ -50,19 +48,11 @@ endif
 
 endif # BUILD_WESTON_LAUNCH
 
-if ENABLE_XSERVER_LAUNCHER
-xserver_launcher_sources =			\
-	xserver-launcher.c			\
-	xserver-protocol.c			\
-	xserver-server-protocol.h		\
-	hash.c					\
-	hash.h
-endif
-
 moduledir = @libdir@/weston
 module_LTLIBRARIES =				\
 	$(desktop_shell)			\
-	$(tablet_shell)			\
+	$(tablet_shell)				\
+	$(xserver_launcher)			\
 	$(x11_backend)				\
 	$(drm_backend)				\
 	$(wayland_backend)			\
@@ -80,7 +70,8 @@ endif
 if ENABLE_DRM_COMPOSITOR
 drm_backend = drm-backend.la
 drm_backend_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
-drm_backend_la_LIBADD = $(COMPOSITOR_LIBS) $(DRM_COMPOSITOR_LIBS)
+drm_backend_la_LIBADD = $(COMPOSITOR_LIBS) $(DRM_COMPOSITOR_LIBS) \
+	../shared/libconfig-parser.la
 drm_backend_la_CFLAGS = $(DRM_COMPOSITOR_CFLAGS) $(GCC_CFLAGS)
 drm_backend_la_SOURCES =			\
 	compositor-drm.c			\
@@ -110,6 +101,19 @@ openwfd_backend_la_CFLAGS = $(OPENWFD_COMPOSITOR_CFLAGS) $(GCC_CFLAGS)
 openwfd_backend_la_SOURCES = compositor-openwfd.c tty.c evdev.c evdev.h
 endif
 
+if ENABLE_XSERVER_LAUNCHER
+xserver_launcher = xserver-launcher.la
+xserver_launcher_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
+xserver_launcher_la_LIBADD = $(XSERVER_LAUNCHER_LIBS)
+xserver_launcher_la_CFLAGS = $(GCC_CFLAGS)
+xserver_launcher_la_SOURCES =			\
+	xserver-launcher.c			\
+	xserver-protocol.c			\
+	xserver-server-protocol.h		\
+	hash.c					\
+	hash.h
+endif
+
 if ENABLE_DESKTOP_SHELL
 desktop_shell = desktop-shell.la
 desktop_shell_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
diff --git a/src/compositor.c b/src/compositor.c
index 1be1e100..3e0139d8 100644
--- a/src/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor.c
@@ -2509,8 +2509,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct wl_event_source *signals[4];
 	struct wl_event_loop *loop;
 	struct sigaction segv_action;
-	void *shell_module, *backend_module;
+	void *shell_module, *backend_module, *xserver_module;
 	int (*shell_init)(struct weston_compositor *ec);
+	int (*xserver_init)(struct weston_compositor *ec);
 	struct weston_compositor
 		*(*backend_init)(struct wl_display *display,
 				 int argc, char *argv[]);
@@ -2600,14 +2601,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	ec->option_idle_time = idle_time;
 	ec->idle_time = idle_time;
 
-#ifdef BUILD_XSERVER_LAUNCHER
-	if (xserver)
-		weston_xserver_init(ec);
-#endif
-
 	if (shell_init(ec) < 0)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
+	xserver_init = NULL;
+	if (xserver)
+		xserver_init = load_module("xserver-launcher.so",
+					   "weston_xserver_init",
+					   &xserver_module);
+	if (xserver_init)
+		xserver_init(ec);
+
 	if (wl_display_add_socket(display, socket_name)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "failed to add socket: %m\n");
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
diff --git a/src/xserver-launcher.c b/src/xserver-launcher.c
index 7038999e..2e4d7262 100644
--- a/src/xserver-launcher.c
+++ b/src/xserver-launcher.c
@@ -1701,7 +1701,7 @@ weston_xserver_destroy(struct wl_listener *l, void *data)
 	free(wxs);
 }
 
-int
+WL_EXPORT int
 weston_xserver_init(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 {
 	struct wl_display *display = compositor->wl_display;