diff --git a/src/backend/x11/x11_backend.c b/src/backend/x11/x11_backend.c
index e729b26..1c3ba3b 100644
--- a/src/backend/x11/x11_backend.c
+++ b/src/backend/x11/x11_backend.c
@@ -107,6 +107,15 @@ struct WBackendScreen {
 static void *
 x11_display_open(const char *name)
 {
+    /* Locale init must happen before XOpenDisplay so the X server-side
+     * input handling honors LC_CTYPE.  Previously called from main.c. */
+#ifdef I18N
+    if (!XSupportsLocale())
+        wwarning(_("X server does not support locale"));
+    if (XSetLocaleModifiers("") == NULL)
+        wwarning(_("cannot set locale modifiers"));
+#endif
+
     Display *d = XOpenDisplay(name);
     if (!d)
         return NULL;
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2ea4634..f233e6e 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -748,14 +748,6 @@ static int real_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	bind_textdomain_codeset(MENU_TEXTDOMAIN, "UTF-8");
 #endif
 	textdomain("WindowMaker");
-
-	if (!XSupportsLocale()) {
-		wwarning(_("X server does not support locale"));
-	}
-
-	if (XSetLocaleModifiers("") == NULL) {
-		wwarning(_("cannot set locale modifiers"));
-	}
 #endif
 
 	if (w_global.locale) {