diff --git a/WINGs/widgets_x11.c b/WINGs/widgets_x11.c
index 3ce8342..01ec481 100644
--- a/WINGs/widgets_x11.c
+++ b/WINGs/widgets_x11.c
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ WMScreen *WMCreateSimpleApplicationScreen(Display * display)
  */
 WMScreen *W_X11OpenDisplay(const char *display)
 {
-    Display *dpy = XOpenDisplay(display);
+    Display *dpy = XOpenDisplay(display && display[0] ? display : NULL);
     if (!dpy) {
         wwarning(_("WINGs: could not open display %s"), XDisplayName(display));
         return NULL;