diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index bfba5ce9..947e4b46 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -735,10 +735,8 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
                 "(wl_data_device_manager not implemented by server)");
         goto out;
     }
-    if (term.wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL) {
-        LOG_ERR("no primary selection available");
-        goto out;
-    }
+    if (term.wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL)
+        LOG_WARN("no primary selection available");
 
     tll_foreach(term.wl.monitors, it) {
         LOG_INFO("%s: %dx%d+%dx%d (scale=%d, refresh=%.2fHz)",
@@ -752,10 +750,12 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     wl_data_device_add_listener(term.wl.data_device, &data_device_listener, &term);
 
     /* Primary selection */
-    term.wl.primary_selection_device = zwp_primary_selection_device_manager_v1_get_device(
-        term.wl.primary_selection_device_manager, term.wl.seat);
-    zwp_primary_selection_device_v1_add_listener(
-        term.wl.primary_selection_device, &primary_selection_device_listener, &term);
+    if (term.wl.primary_selection_device_manager != NULL) {
+        term.wl.primary_selection_device = zwp_primary_selection_device_manager_v1_get_device(
+            term.wl.primary_selection_device_manager, term.wl.seat);
+        zwp_primary_selection_device_v1_add_listener(
+            term.wl.primary_selection_device, &primary_selection_device_listener, &term);
+    }
 
     /* Cursor */
     unsigned cursor_size = 24;
diff --git a/selection.c b/selection.c
index c4991906..72e56ec0 100644
--- a/selection.c
+++ b/selection.c
@@ -549,6 +549,9 @@ selection_from_clipboard(struct terminal *term, uint32_t serial)
 bool
 text_to_primary(struct terminal *term, char *text, uint32_t serial)
 {
+    if (term->wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL)
+        return false;
+
     /* TODO: somehow share code with the clipboard equivalent */
     if (term->selection.primary.data_source != NULL) {
         /* Kill previous data source */
@@ -592,6 +595,9 @@ text_to_primary(struct terminal *term, char *text, uint32_t serial)
 void
 selection_to_primary(struct terminal *term, uint32_t serial)
 {
+    if (term->wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL)
+        return;
+
     /* Get selection as a string */
     char *text = extract_selection(term);
     if (!text_to_primary(term, text, serial))
@@ -603,6 +609,9 @@ text_from_primary(
     struct terminal *term, void (*cb)(const char *data, size_t size, void *user),
     void *user)
 {
+    if (term->wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL)
+        return;
+
     struct primary *primary = &term->selection.primary;
     if (primary->data_offer == NULL)
         return;
@@ -645,6 +654,9 @@ text_from_primary(
 void
 selection_from_primary(struct terminal *term)
 {
+    if (term->wl.primary_selection_device_manager == NULL)
+        return;
+
     struct clipboard *clipboard = &term->selection.clipboard;
     if (clipboard->data_offer == NULL)
         return;