diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
index 46fc232489..1efea05778 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
@@ -1071,6 +1071,7 @@ _gdk_x11_screen_new (GdkDisplay *display,
 #endif
   if (scale_str)
     {
+      x11_screen->fixed_window_scale = TRUE;
       x11_screen->window_scale = atol (scale_str);
       if (x11_screen->window_scale == 0)
         x11_screen->window_scale = 1;
diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.h b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.h
index f37b61a542..ce8598e11e 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.h
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ struct _GdkX11Screen
   gint primary_monitor;
 
   gint window_scale;
+  gboolean fixed_window_scale;
 
   /* Xft resources for the display, used for default values for
    * the Xft/ XSETTINGS
diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
index 6f8527d412..49c1361ff8 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ gdk_window_impl_x11_init (GdkWindowImplX11 *impl)
 {  
   impl->device_cursor = g_hash_table_new_full (NULL, NULL,
                                                NULL, g_object_unref);
+  impl->window_scale = 1;
 }
 
 GdkToplevelX11 *
@@ -1917,6 +1918,8 @@ _gdk_x11_window_set_window_scale (GdkWindow *window,
   if (window->window_type == GDK_WINDOW_OFFSCREEN)
     return;
 
+  g_print ("_gdk_x11_window_set_window_scale %p %d\n", window, scale);
+
   impl = GDK_WINDOW_IMPL_X11 (window->impl);
 
   impl->window_scale = scale;
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
index 475cbab8a4..2d1c2512d8 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
@@ -446,14 +446,17 @@ read_settings (GdkX11Screen *x11_screen,
 
   /* Since we support scaling we look at the specific Gdk/UnscaledDPI
      setting if it exists and use that instead of Xft/DPI if it is set */
-  setting = g_hash_table_lookup (x11_screen->xsettings, "gdk-unscaled-dpi");
-  if (setting)
+  if (x11_screen->xsettings && !x11_screen->fixed_window_scale)
     {
-      copy = g_new0 (GValue, 1);
-      g_value_init (copy, G_VALUE_TYPE (setting));
-      g_value_copy (setting, copy);
-      g_hash_table_insert (x11_screen->xsettings, 
-			   "gtk-xft-dpi", copy);
+      setting = g_hash_table_lookup (x11_screen->xsettings, "gdk-unscaled-dpi");
+      if (setting)
+	{
+	  copy = g_new0 (GValue, 1);
+	  g_value_init (copy, G_VALUE_TYPE (setting));
+	  g_value_copy (setting, copy);
+	  g_hash_table_insert (x11_screen->xsettings, 
+			       "gtk-xft-dpi", copy);
+	}
     }
 
   if (do_notify)
@@ -462,7 +465,8 @@ read_settings (GdkX11Screen *x11_screen,
     g_hash_table_unref (old_list);
 
   g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_INT);
-  if (gdk_screen_get_setting (GDK_SCREEN (x11_screen),
+  if (!x11_screen->fixed_window_scale &&
+      gdk_screen_get_setting (GDK_SCREEN (x11_screen),
 			      "gdk-window-scaling-factor", &value))
     _gdk_x11_screen_set_window_scale (x11_screen,
 				      g_value_get_int (&value));