diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 8a602925..c3697720 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -657,6 +657,12 @@ term_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl,
     if ((term->window = wayl_win_init(wayl)) == NULL)
         goto err;
 
+    /* Let the Wayland backend know we exist */
+    tll_push_back(wayl->terms, term);
+
+    /* Roundtrip to ensure the wayland window have been configured */
+    wl_display_roundtrip(term->wl->display);
+
     term_set_window_title(term, "foot");
 
     /* Try to use user-configured window dimentions */
@@ -675,7 +681,6 @@ term_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl,
     height = max(height, term->cell_height);
     render_resize(term, width, height);
 
-    tll_push_back(wayl->terms, term);
     return term;
 
 err:
diff --git a/wayland.c b/wayland.c
index 7ab1ef2f..816ef1b6 100644
--- a/wayland.c
+++ b/wayland.c
@@ -804,8 +804,6 @@ wayl_win_init(struct wayland *wayl)
     wl_subsurface_set_desync(win->search_sub_surface);
 
     wl_surface_commit(win->surface);
-    wl_display_roundtrip(wayl->display);
-
     return win;
 
 out: