diff --git a/src/core/LockSurface.cpp b/src/core/LockSurface.cpp
index 162946b..006a2eb 100644
--- a/src/core/LockSurface.cpp
+++ b/src/core/LockSurface.cpp
@@ -53,12 +53,20 @@ CSessionLockSurface::CSessionLockSurface(COutput* output) : output(output) {
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    fractional = wp_fractional_scale_manager_v1_get_fractional_scale(g_pHyprlock->getFractionalMgr(), surface);
-    if (fractional) {
-        wp_fractional_scale_v1_add_listener(fractional, &fsListener, this);
-        viewport = wp_viewporter_get_viewport(g_pHyprlock->getViewporter(), surface);
-    } else
+    const auto PFRACTIONALMGR = g_pHyprlock->getFractionalMgr();
+    const auto PVIEWPORTER    = g_pHyprlock->getViewporter();
+    if (PFRACTIONALMGR && PVIEWPORTER) {
+        fractional = wp_fractional_scale_manager_v1_get_fractional_scale(PFRACTIONALMGR, surface);
+        if (fractional) {
+            wp_fractional_scale_v1_add_listener(fractional, &fsListener, this);
+            viewport = wp_viewporter_get_viewport(PVIEWPORTER, surface);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!PFRACTIONALMGR || !fractional)
         Debug::log(LOG, "No fractional-scale support! Oops, won't be able to scale!");
+    if (!PVIEWPORTER)
+        Debug::log(LOG, "No viewporter support! Oops, won't be able to scale!");
 
     lockSurface = ext_session_lock_v1_get_lock_surface(g_pHyprlock->getSessionLock(), surface, output->output);
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.cpp b/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.cpp
index df98349..e43392a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@
 #include "../helpers/Webp.hpp"
 
 CAsyncResourceGatherer::CAsyncResourceGatherer() {
+    if (g_pHyprlock->getScreencopy())
+        enqueueDMAFrames();
+
+    initialGatherThread = std::thread([this]() { this->gather(); });
+    initialGatherThread.detach();
+
+    asyncLoopThread = std::thread([this]() { this->asyncAssetSpinLock(); });
+    asyncLoopThread.detach();
+}
+
+void CAsyncResourceGatherer::enqueueDMAFrames() {
     // some things can't be done async :(
     // gather background textures when needed
 
@@ -48,12 +59,6 @@ CAsyncResourceGatherer::CAsyncResourceGatherer() {
 
         dmas.emplace_back(std::make_unique<CDMAFrame>(PMONITOR));
     }
-
-    initialGatherThread = std::thread([this]() { this->gather(); });
-    initialGatherThread.detach();
-
-    asyncLoopThread = std::thread([this]() { this->asyncAssetSpinLock(); });
-    asyncLoopThread.detach();
 }
 
 SPreloadedAsset* CAsyncResourceGatherer::getAssetByID(const std::string& id) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.hpp b/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.hpp
index 19defd3..ff4bb5d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.hpp
+++ b/src/renderer/AsyncResourceGatherer.hpp
@@ -86,4 +86,5 @@ class CAsyncResourceGatherer {
     std::unordered_map<std::string, SPreloadedAsset> assets;
 
     void                                             gather();
+    void                                             enqueueDMAFrames();
 };
diff --git a/src/renderer/Renderer.cpp b/src/renderer/Renderer.cpp
index 560ceae..26fae5d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer/Renderer.cpp
@@ -331,6 +331,12 @@ std::vector<std::unique_ptr<IWidget>>* CRenderer::getOrCreateWidgetsFor(const CS
                         if (!asyncResourceGatherer->getAssetByID(resourceID))
                             resourceID = ""; // Fallback to solid color (background:color)
                     }
+
+                    if (!g_pHyprlock->getScreencopy()) {
+                        Debug::log(ERR, "No screencopy support! path=screenshot won't work. Falling back to background color.");
+                        resourceID = "";
+                    }
+
                 } else if (!PATH.empty())
                     resourceID = "background:" + PATH;