diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
index 910eb94ad..8dec9101d 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
@@ -307,8 +307,6 @@ meta_cursor_renderer_set_position (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer,
 {
   MetaCursorRendererPrivate *priv = meta_cursor_renderer_get_instance_private (renderer);
 
-  g_assert (meta_is_wayland_compositor ());
-
   priv->current_x = x;
   priv->current_y = y;
 
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor-tracker.c b/src/backends/meta-cursor-tracker.c
index b37697280..fcf69aa5a 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor-tracker.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor-tracker.c
@@ -374,8 +374,6 @@ meta_cursor_tracker_update_position (MetaCursorTracker *tracker,
   MetaCursorRenderer *cursor_renderer =
     meta_backend_get_cursor_renderer (backend);
 
-  g_assert (meta_is_wayland_compositor ());
-
   meta_cursor_renderer_set_position (cursor_renderer, new_x, new_y);
 
   g_signal_emit (tracker, signals[CURSOR_MOVED], 0, new_x, new_y);
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-stage.c b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
index 92418331e..5acae900c 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-stage.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
@@ -230,6 +230,14 @@ meta_stage_paint_view (ClutterStage         *stage,
   notify_watchers_for_mode (meta_stage, view, NULL,
                             META_STAGE_WATCH_BEFORE_PAINT);
 
+  {
+    CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer = clutter_stage_view_get_framebuffer (view);
+
+    if (framebuffer && !cogl_is_onscreen (framebuffer))
+      cogl_framebuffer_clear4f (framebuffer, COGL_BUFFER_BIT_COLOR,
+                                0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);
+  }
+
   CLUTTER_STAGE_CLASS (meta_stage_parent_class)->paint_view (stage, view,
                                                              redraw_clip);
 
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index d6819dfd6..c1b019469 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -889,6 +889,10 @@ Window
 meta_backend_x11_get_xwindow (MetaBackendX11 *x11)
 {
   ClutterActor *stage = meta_backend_get_stage (META_BACKEND (x11));
+
+  if (!stage || !CLUTTER_IS_STAGE (stage))
+    return None;
+
   return meta_x11_get_stage_window (CLUTTER_STAGE (stage));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/display.c b/src/core/display.c
index 552cdab75..9512bc970 100644
--- a/src/core/display.c
+++ b/src/core/display.c
@@ -1000,7 +1000,8 @@ meta_display_open (void)
 
   display->sound_player = g_object_new (META_TYPE_SOUND_PLAYER, NULL);
 
-  meta_input_settings_refresh (meta_backend_get_input_settings (backend));
+  if (meta_backend_get_input_settings (backend))
+    meta_input_settings_refresh (meta_backend_get_input_settings (backend));
 
   /* Done opening new display */
   display->display_opening = FALSE;
@@ -3061,7 +3062,8 @@ meta_display_get_pad_action_label (MetaDisplay        *display,
 
   /* First, lookup the action, as imposed by settings */
   settings = meta_backend_get_input_settings (meta_get_backend ());
-  label = meta_input_settings_get_pad_action_label (settings, pad, action_type, action_number);
+  if (settings)
+    label = meta_input_settings_get_pad_action_label (settings, pad, action_type, action_number);
   if (label)
     return label;
 
diff --git a/src/core/events.c b/src/core/events.c
index 1ae1e933e..8dc6bd2ed 100644
--- a/src/core/events.c
+++ b/src/core/events.c
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ meta_display_handle_event (MetaDisplay        *display,
       handle_pad_event = !display->current_pad_osd || is_mode_switch;
 
       if (handle_pad_event &&
+          meta_backend_get_input_settings (backend) &&
           meta_input_settings_handle_pad_event (meta_backend_get_input_settings (backend),
                                                 event))
         {