diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 17b7a5735..700f748ca 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ struct output_config *new_output_config(const char *name);
 bool apply_output_configs(struct matched_output_config *configs,
 		size_t configs_len, bool test_only, bool degrade_to_off);
 
-void apply_all_output_configs(void);
+bool apply_all_output_configs(bool test_only, bool degrade_to_off);
 
 void sort_output_configs_by_priority(struct matched_output_config *configs,
 		size_t configs_len);
diff --git a/sway/commands/output.c b/sway/commands/output.c
index 9478e0bad..44ee9150c 100644
--- a/sway/commands/output.c
+++ b/sway/commands/output.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_output(int argc, char **argv) {
 	// entire config and before the deferred commands so that an auto generated
 	// workspace name is not given to re-enabled outputs.
 	if (!config->reloading && !config->validating) {
-		apply_all_output_configs();
+		apply_all_output_configs(false, true);
 		if (background) {
 			if (!spawn_swaybg()) {
 				return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE,
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 5058efcc0..97f01aa20 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ bool load_main_config(const char *file, bool is_active, bool validating) {
 		}
 		sway_switch_retrigger_bindings_for_all();
 
-		apply_all_output_configs();
+		apply_all_output_configs(false, true);
 		spawn_swaybg();
 
 		config->reloading = false;
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index 61148ab85..d11d60e96 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -997,11 +997,11 @@ out:
 	return ok;
 }
 
-void apply_all_output_configs(void) {
+bool apply_all_output_configs(bool test_only, bool degrade_to_off) {
 	size_t configs_len = wl_list_length(&root->all_outputs);
 	struct matched_output_config *configs = calloc(configs_len, sizeof(*configs));
 	if (!configs) {
-		return;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	int config_idx = 0;
@@ -1018,12 +1018,13 @@ void apply_all_output_configs(void) {
 	}
 
 	sort_output_configs_by_priority(configs, configs_len);
-	apply_output_configs(configs, configs_len, false, true);
+	bool ok = apply_output_configs(configs, configs_len, test_only, degrade_to_off);
 	for (size_t idx = 0; idx < configs_len; idx++) {
 		struct matched_output_config *cfg = &configs[idx];
 		free_output_config(cfg->config);
 	}
 	free(configs);
+	return ok;
 }
 
 void free_output_config(struct output_config *oc) {
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index 9f4290cd6..0b54cb4dd 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ static int timer_modeset_handle(void *data) {
 	wl_event_source_remove(server->delayed_modeset);
 	server->delayed_modeset = NULL;
 
-	apply_all_output_configs();
+	apply_all_output_configs(false, true);
 	return 0;
 }