diff --git a/includes/defines.h b/includes/defines.h
index 8bd9e3532..f88106217 100644
--- a/includes/defines.h
+++ b/includes/defines.h
@@ -206,5 +206,5 @@ void sdl_seticon(void);
 void play_sound(char *file);
 void start_grav_async(void);
 void stop_grav_async(void);
-void set_scale(int scale, int kiosk);
+int set_scale(int scale, int kiosk);
 #endif
diff --git a/includes/graphics.h b/includes/graphics.h
index 6d9a27311..90d5d1b4d 100644
--- a/includes/graphics.h
+++ b/includes/graphics.h
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ int render_thumb(void *thumb, int size, int bzip2, pixel *vid_buf, int px, int p
 
 void render_cursor(pixel *vid, int x, int y, int t, int rx, int ry);
 
-void sdl_open(void);
+int sdl_open(void);
 
 #ifdef OpenGL
 void Enable2D ();
diff --git a/src/graphics.c b/src/graphics.c
index fdaa6d315..863507b82 100644
--- a/src/graphics.c
+++ b/src/graphics.c
@@ -3824,12 +3824,12 @@ void render_cursor(pixel *vid, int x, int y, int t, int rx, int ry)
 	}
 }
 
-void sdl_open(void)
+int sdl_open(void)
 {
 	if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO)<0)
 	{
 		fprintf(stderr, "Initializing SDL: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
-		exit(1);
+		return 0;
 	}
 	atexit(SDL_Quit);
 #ifdef OpenGL
@@ -3861,12 +3861,22 @@ void sdl_open(void)
 	if (!sdl_scrn)
 	{
 		fprintf(stderr, "Creating window: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
-		exit(1);
+		return 0;
 	}
 	SDL_WM_SetCaption("The Powder Toy", "Powder Toy");
 	sdl_seticon();
 	SDL_EnableUNICODE(1);
 	//SDL_EnableKeyRepeat(SDL_DEFAULT_REPEAT_DELAY, SDL_DEFAULT_REPEAT_INTERVAL);
+#if (defined(LIN32) || defined(LIN64)) && defined(SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_X11)
+	SDL_EventState(SDL_SYSWMEVENT, SDL_ENABLE);
+	SDL_VERSION(&sdl_wminfo.version);
+	SDL_GetWMInfo(&sdl_wminfo);
+	sdl_wminfo.info.x11.lock_func();
+	XA_CLIPBOARD = XInternAtom(sdl_wminfo.info.x11.display, "CLIPBOARD", 1);
+	XA_TARGETS = XInternAtom(sdl_wminfo.info.x11.display, "TARGETS", 1);
+	sdl_wminfo.info.x11.unlock_func();
+#endif
+	return 1;
 }
 
 #ifdef OpenGL
diff --git a/src/interface.c b/src/interface.c
index 6893d4c90..ff4968a8c 100644
--- a/src/interface.c
+++ b/src/interface.c
@@ -4659,7 +4659,10 @@ void simulation_ui(pixel * vid_buf)
 	new_scale = (cb3.checked)?2:1;
 	new_kiosk = (cb4.checked)?1:0;
 	if(new_scale!=sdl_scale || new_kiosk!=kiosk_enable)
-		set_scale(new_scale, new_kiosk);	
+	{
+		if (!set_scale(new_scale, new_kiosk))
+			error_ui(vid_buf, 0, "Could not change display options");
+	}
 	if(ngrav_enable != cb2.checked)
 	{
 		if(cb2.checked)
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 7317f4561..1f12c3f4a 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1231,11 +1231,18 @@ char my_uri[] = "http://" SERVER "/Update.api?Action=Download&Architecture="
 #endif
                 ;
 
-void set_scale(int scale, int kiosk){
+int set_scale(int scale, int kiosk){
+	int old_scale = sdl_scale, old_kiosk = kiosk_enable;
 	sdl_scale = scale;
 	kiosk_enable = kiosk;
-	sdl_open();
-	return;
+	if (!sdl_open())
+	{
+		sdl_scale = old_scale;
+		kiosk_enable = old_kiosk;
+		sdl_open();
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return 1;
 }
 				
 void update_grav_async()
@@ -1564,7 +1571,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	stamp_init();
 
-	sdl_open();
+	if (!sdl_open()) exit(1);
 	http_init(http_proxy_string[0] ? http_proxy_string : NULL);
 
 	if (cpu_check())