diff --git a/src/Compositor.cpp b/src/Compositor.cpp
index 92545faf..4ddac879 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.cpp
@@ -2604,3 +2604,43 @@ void CCompositor::arrangeMonitors() {
             m->xwaylandScale = 1.f;
     }
 }
+
+void CCompositor::enterUnsafeState() {
+    if (m_bUnsafeState)
+        return;
+
+    Debug::log(LOG, "Entering unsafe state");
+
+    m_bUnsafeState = true;
+
+    // create a backup monitor
+    wlr_backend* headless = nullptr;
+    wlr_multi_for_each_backend(
+        m_sWLRBackend,
+        [](wlr_backend* b, void* data) {
+            if (wlr_backend_is_headless(b))
+                *((wlr_backend**)data) = b;
+        },
+        &headless);
+
+    if (!headless) {
+        Debug::log(WARN, "Entering an unsafe state without a headless backend");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    m_pUnsafeOutput = wlr_headless_add_output(headless, 1920, 1080);
+}
+
+void CCompositor::leaveUnsafeState() {
+    if (!m_bUnsafeState)
+        return;
+
+    Debug::log(LOG, "Leaving unsafe state");
+
+    m_bUnsafeState = false;
+
+    if (m_pUnsafeOutput)
+        wlr_output_destroy(m_pUnsafeOutput);
+
+    m_pUnsafeOutput = nullptr;
+}
diff --git a/src/Compositor.hpp b/src/Compositor.hpp
index 27a27e3b..06d15c3c 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.hpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.hpp
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ class CCompositor {
     bool                                      m_bReadyToProcess = false;
     bool                                      m_bSessionActive  = true;
     bool                                      m_bDPMSStateON    = true;
-    bool                                      m_bUnsafeState    = false; // unsafe state is when there is no monitors.
+    bool                                      m_bUnsafeState    = false;   // unsafe state is when there is no monitors.
+    wlr_output*                               m_pUnsafeOutput   = nullptr; // fallback output for the unsafe state
     bool                                      m_bIsShuttingDown = false;
 
     // ------------------------------------------------- //
@@ -202,6 +203,8 @@ class CCompositor {
     void           notifyIdleActivity();
     void           setIdleActivityInhibit(bool inhibit);
     void           arrangeMonitors();
+    void           enterUnsafeState();
+    void           leaveUnsafeState();
 
     std::string    explicitConfigPath;
 
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index ceff4414..3d231dbd 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -2020,9 +2020,6 @@ void CConfigManager::performMonitorReload() {
     if (overAgain)
         performMonitorReload();
 
-    if (!g_pCompositor->m_vMonitors.empty()) // reset unsafe state if we have monitors
-        g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState = false;
-
     m_bWantsMonitorReload = false;
 
     EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("monitorLayoutChanged", nullptr);
diff --git a/src/events/Monitors.cpp b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
index 88ba612d..947f9e7f 100644
--- a/src/events/Monitors.cpp
+++ b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
@@ -87,13 +87,21 @@ void Events::listener_newOutput(wl_listener* listener, void* data) {
     if ((!g_pHyprRenderer->m_pMostHzMonitor || PNEWMONITOR->refreshRate > g_pHyprRenderer->m_pMostHzMonitor->refreshRate) && PNEWMONITOR->m_bEnabled)
         g_pHyprRenderer->m_pMostHzMonitor = PNEWMONITOR;
 
-    // ready to process cuz we have a monitor
-    if (PNEWMONITOR->m_bEnabled) {
+    // wlroots will instantly call this handler before we get a return to the wlr_output* in CCompositor::enterUnsafeState
+    const bool PROBABLYFALLBACK = (g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState && !g_pCompositor->m_pUnsafeOutput) || OUTPUT == g_pCompositor->m_pUnsafeOutput;
 
+    // ready to process if we have a real monitor
+    if (PNEWMONITOR->m_bEnabled && !PROBABLYFALLBACK) {
+        // leave unsafe state
         if (g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState) {
             // recover workspaces
+            std::vector<CWorkspace*> wsp;
             for (auto& ws : g_pCompositor->m_vWorkspaces) {
-                g_pCompositor->moveWorkspaceToMonitor(ws.get(), PNEWMONITOR);
+                wsp.push_back(ws.get());
+            }
+            for (auto& ws : wsp) {
+                // because this can realloc the vec
+                g_pCompositor->moveWorkspaceToMonitor(ws, PNEWMONITOR);
             }
 
             g_pHyprRenderer->m_pMostHzMonitor = PNEWMONITOR;
@@ -104,7 +112,6 @@ void Events::listener_newOutput(wl_listener* listener, void* data) {
         }
 
         g_pCompositor->m_bReadyToProcess = true;
-        g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState    = false;
     }
 
     g_pConfigManager->m_bWantsMonitorReload = true;
@@ -131,8 +138,10 @@ void Events::listener_monitorFrame(void* owner, void* data) {
     if ((g_pCompositor->m_sWLRSession && !g_pCompositor->m_sWLRSession->active) || !g_pCompositor->m_bSessionActive || g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState) {
         Debug::log(WARN, "Attempted to render frame on inactive session!");
 
-        if (g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState)
-            g_pConfigManager->performMonitorReload();
+        if (g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState && PMONITOR->output != g_pCompositor->m_pUnsafeOutput) {
+            // restore from unsafe state
+            g_pCompositor->leaveUnsafeState();
+        }
 
         return; // cannot draw on session inactive (different tty)
     }
@@ -196,6 +205,9 @@ void Events::listener_monitorDestroy(void* owner, void* data) {
     pMonitor->output                 = nullptr;
     pMonitor->m_bRenderingInitPassed = false;
 
+    if (g_pCompositor->m_pUnsafeOutput == OUTPUT)
+        g_pCompositor->m_pUnsafeOutput = nullptr;
+
     Debug::log(LOG, "Removing monitor {} from realMonitors", pMonitor->szName);
 
     std::erase_if(g_pCompositor->m_vRealMonitors, [&](std::shared_ptr<CMonitor>& el) { return el.get() == pMonitor; });
diff --git a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
index 97a8fe20..dd9580d1 100644
--- a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ void CMonitor::onDisconnect() {
 
     if (!BACKUPMON) {
         Debug::log(WARN, "Unplugged last monitor, entering an unsafe state. Good luck my friend.");
-        g_pCompositor->m_bUnsafeState = true;
+        g_pCompositor->enterUnsafeState();
     }
 
     if (BACKUPMON) {