diff --git a/internal/desktop/manager.go b/internal/desktop/manager.go
index dad4dd2d..da998df2 100644
--- a/internal/desktop/manager.go
+++ b/internal/desktop/manager.go
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ func (manager *DesktopManagerCtx) Start() {
 		manager.logger.Panic().Str("display", manager.config.Display).Msg("unable to open display")
 	}
 
+	// X11 can throw errors below, and the default error handler exits
+	xevent.SetupErrorHandler()
+
 	xorg.GetScreenConfigurations()
 
 	screenSize, err := xorg.ChangeScreenSize(manager.config.ScreenSize)
diff --git a/pkg/xevent/xevent.c b/pkg/xevent/xevent.c
index 991f6987..1d75422c 100644
--- a/pkg/xevent/xevent.c
+++ b/pkg/xevent/xevent.c
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ static int XEventError(Display *display, XErrorEvent *event) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+void XSetupErrorHandler() {
+  XSetErrorHandler(XEventError);
+}
+
 void XEventLoop(char *name) {
   Display *display = XOpenDisplay(name);
   Window root = DefaultRootWindow(display);
@@ -33,7 +37,6 @@ void XEventLoop(char *name) {
   XSelectInput(display, root, SubstructureNotifyMask);
 
   XSync(display, 0);
-  XSetErrorHandler(XEventError);
 
   while (goXEventActive()) {
     XEvent event;
diff --git a/pkg/xevent/xevent.go b/pkg/xevent/xevent.go
index 53b820e9..b2fd9d4f 100644
--- a/pkg/xevent/xevent.go
+++ b/pkg/xevent/xevent.go
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ func init() {
 	Emmiter = events.New()
 }
 
+func SetupErrorHandler() {
+	C.XSetupErrorHandler()
+}
+
 func EventLoop(display string) {
 	displayUnsafe := C.CString(display)
 	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(displayUnsafe))
diff --git a/pkg/xevent/xevent.h b/pkg/xevent/xevent.h
index 801e0e6e..c3924dae 100644
--- a/pkg/xevent/xevent.h
+++ b/pkg/xevent/xevent.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ extern void goXEventError(XErrorEvent *event, char *message);
 extern int goXEventActive();
 
 static int XEventError(Display *display, XErrorEvent *event);
+void XSetupErrorHandler();
 void XEventLoop(char *display);
 
 static void XWindowManagerStateEvent(Display *display, Window window, ulong action, ulong first, ulong second);