diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
index 1ba4635847..5e7ae75253 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
@@ -2697,6 +2697,7 @@ gdk_x11_display_set_window_scale (GdkDisplay *display,
                                   gint scale)
 {
   GdkX11Screen *x11_screen;
+  gboolean need_reread_settings = FALSE;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GDK_IS_X11_DISPLAY (display));
 
@@ -2709,8 +2710,19 @@ gdk_x11_display_set_window_scale (GdkDisplay *display,
 
   x11_screen = GDK_X11_SCREEN (GDK_X11_DISPLAY (display)->screen);
 
-  x11_screen->fixed_window_scale = TRUE;
+  if (!x11_screen->fixed_window_scale)
+    {
+      x11_screen->fixed_window_scale = TRUE;
+
+      /* We treat screens with a window scale set differently when
+       * reading xsettings, so we need to reread */
+      need_reread_settings = TRUE;
+    }
+
   _gdk_x11_screen_set_window_scale (x11_screen, scale);
+
+  if (need_reread_settings)
+    _gdk_x11_settings_force_reread (x11_screen);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
index e6279b904e..87b4addbea 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
@@ -581,6 +581,12 @@ _gdk_x11_xsettings_init (GdkX11Screen *x11_screen)
   check_manager_window (x11_screen, FALSE);
 }
 
+void
+_gdk_x11_settings_force_reread (GdkX11Screen *x11_screen)
+{
+  read_settings (x11_screen, TRUE);
+}
+
 void
 _gdk_x11_xsettings_finish (GdkX11Screen *x11_screen)
 {
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
index 9ae149e298..89adc7d1af 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@
 
 void _gdk_x11_xsettings_init            (GdkX11Screen        *x11_screen);
 void _gdk_x11_xsettings_finish          (GdkX11Screen        *x11_screen);
+void _gdk_x11_settings_force_reread     (GdkX11Screen        *x11_screen);
 
 #endif /* XSETTINGS_CLIENT_H */