diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
index 71eee87..1028b9b 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
@@ -1644,11 +1644,16 @@ handle_keyboard_key(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
         ev.u.key.y_root   = wl_state.pointer_y;
 
         /* Translate keycode → keysym + UTF-8 via xkb */
-        ev.u.key.keysym   = xkb_state_key_get_one_sym(kb->xkb_state, keycode);
-        ev.u.key.utf8_len = xkb_state_key_get_utf8(kb->xkb_state, keycode,
-                                                    ev.u.key.utf8, sizeof(ev.u.key.utf8));
-        if (ev.u.key.utf8_len >= (int)sizeof(ev.u.key.utf8))
-            ev.u.key.utf8_len = 0;  /* overflow — discard */
+        if (kb->xkb_state) {
+            ev.u.key.keysym   = xkb_state_key_get_one_sym(kb->xkb_state, keycode);
+            ev.u.key.utf8_len = xkb_state_key_get_utf8(kb->xkb_state, keycode,
+                                                        ev.u.key.utf8, sizeof(ev.u.key.utf8));
+            if (ev.u.key.utf8_len >= (int)sizeof(ev.u.key.utf8))
+                ev.u.key.utf8_len = 0;
+        } else {
+            ev.u.key.keysym = 0;
+            ev.u.key.utf8_len = 0;
+        }
 
         W_WL_EnqueueEvent(wmscr, &ev, NULL);
     }