diff --git a/xwayland/xwayland.c b/xwayland/xwayland.c
index f30b18d0..211e2a04 100644
--- a/xwayland/xwayland.c
+++ b/xwayland/xwayland.c
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ static bool wlr_xwayland_init(struct wlr_xwayland *wlr_xwayland,
 		wlr_xwayland_finish(wlr_xwayland);
 		return false;
 	}
+	wlr_xwayland->wl_fd[0] = -1; /* not ours anymore */
 
 	wlr_xwayland->destroy_listener.notify = xwayland_destroy_event;
 	wl_client_add_destroy_listener(wlr_xwayland->client, &wlr_xwayland->destroy_listener);