diff --git a/xpra/server/window/window_source.py b/xpra/server/window/window_source.py
index ef70b799f0..9a361b5512 100644
--- a/xpra/server/window/window_source.py
+++ b/xpra/server/window/window_source.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def get_env_encodings(etype:str, valid_options:Iterable[str]=()) -> Tuple[str,..
 
 
 ui_context : ContextManager = DummyContextManager()
-if POSIX and not OSX:
+if POSIX and not OSX and not envbool("XPRA_NOX11", False) and os.environ.get("GDK_BACKEND", "x11") == "x11":
     from xpra.gtk_common.error import xlog
     ui_context = xlog