diff --git a/src/wmspec.c b/src/wmspec.c
index 2cb5e38..47fc176 100644
--- a/src/wmspec.c
+++ b/src/wmspec.c
@@ -362,6 +362,8 @@ void wNETWMUpdateDesktop(WScreen *scr)
 	long *views, sizes[2];
 	int count, i;
 
+	if (!dpy) return; /* Wayland: no X11 root-window properties */
+
 	if (scr->workspace_count == 0)
 		return;
 
@@ -389,6 +391,8 @@ int wNETWMGetCurrentDesktopFromHint(WScreen *scr)
 	int count;
 	unsigned char *prop;
 
+	if (!dpy) return -1; /* Wayland: no X11 _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP hint */
+
 	prop = PropGetCheckProperty(scr->root_win, net_current_desktop, WA_CARDINAL, 0, 1, &count);
 	if (prop) {
 		int desktop = *(long *)prop;
@@ -576,6 +580,8 @@ static void updateWindowOpacity(WWindow *wwin)
 	unsigned long items, rest;
 	unsigned long *property;
 
+	if (!dpy) return; /* Wayland: no X11 _NET_WM_WINDOW_OPACITY */
+
 	if (!wwin->frame)
 		return;
 
@@ -651,6 +657,8 @@ void wNETWMInitStuff(WScreen *scr)
 	NetData *data;
 	int i;
 
+	if (!dpy) return; /* Wayland: no X11 NETWM atoms or root-window hints */
+
 #ifdef DEBUG_WMSPEC
 	wmessage("wNETWMInitStuff");
 #endif
@@ -708,6 +716,8 @@ void wNETWMCleanup(WScreen *scr)
 {
 	int i;
 
+	if (!dpy) return; /* Wayland: no X11 root-window atoms to clean up */
+
 	for (i = 0; i < wlengthof(atomNames); i++)
 		XDeleteProperty(dpy, scr->root_win, *atomNames[i].atom);
 }
@@ -717,6 +727,8 @@ void wNETWMUpdateActions(WWindow *wwin, Bool del)
 	Atom action[10];	/* nr of actions atoms defined */
 	int i = 0;
 
+	if (!dpy) return; /* Wayland: no X11 _NET_WM_ALLOWED_ACTIONS property */
+
 	if (del) {
 		XDeleteProperty(dpy, wwin->client_win, net_wm_allowed_actions);
 		return;