diff --git a/autotests/integration/xclipboardsync_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/xclipboardsync_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/xclipboardsync_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/xclipboardsync_test.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
     QVERIFY(workspaceCreatedSpy.isValid());
     kwinApp()->platform()->setInitialWindowSize(QSize(1280, 1024));
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(kwinApp()->platform(), "setVirtualOutputs", Qt::DirectConnection, Q_ARG(int, 2));
+    QSignalSpy clipboardSyncDevicedCreated{waylandServer(), &WaylandServer::xclipboardSyncDataDeviceCreated};
+    QVERIFY(clipboardSyncDevicedCreated.isValid());
     QVERIFY(waylandServer()->init(s_socketName.toLocal8Bit()));
 
     kwinApp()->start();
@@ -65,8 +67,8 @@
     QCOMPARE(screens()->geometry(1), QRect(1280, 0, 1280, 1024));
     waylandServer()->initWorkspace();
     // wait till the xclipboard sync data device is created
-    while (waylandServer()->xclipboardSyncDataDevice().isNull()) {
-        QCoreApplication::processEvents(QEventLoop::WaitForMoreEvents);
+    if (clipboardSyncDevicedCreated.empty()) {
+        QVERIFY(clipboardSyncDevicedCreated.wait());
     }
     QVERIFY(!waylandServer()->xclipboardSyncDataDevice().isNull());
 }
diff --git a/wayland_server.h b/wayland_server.h
--- a/wayland_server.h
+++ b/wayland_server.h
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@
     void terminatingInternalClientConnection();
     void initialized();
     void foreignTransientChanged(KWayland::Server::SurfaceInterface *child);
+    void xclipboardSyncDataDeviceCreated();
 
 private:
     void setupX11ClipboardSync();
diff --git a/wayland_server.cpp b/wayland_server.cpp
--- a/wayland_server.cpp
+++ b/wayland_server.cpp
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@
         [this] (DataDeviceInterface *ddi) {
             if (ddi->client() == m_xclipbaordSync.client && m_xclipbaordSync.client != nullptr) {
                 m_xclipbaordSync.ddi = QPointer<DataDeviceInterface>(ddi);
+                emit xclipboardSyncDataDeviceCreated();
                 connect(m_xclipbaordSync.ddi.data(), &DataDeviceInterface::selectionChanged, this,
                     [this] {
                         // testing whether the active client inherits Client