diff --git a/shell/main.cpp b/shell/main.cpp
--- a/shell/main.cpp
+++ b/shell/main.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QCommandLineParser>
 #include <QQuickWindow>
-#include <QSessionManager>
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QProcess>
 #include <QMessageBox>
@@ -63,13 +62,21 @@
 
     QQuickWindow::setDefaultAlphaBuffer(true);
 
+    // Avoid talking to ksmserver which is pretty busy on login
+    const QByteArray sessionManagerVariable = qgetenv("SESSION_MANAGER");
+    qunsetenv("SESSION_MANAGER");
+
     const bool qpaVariable = qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("QT_QPA_PLATFORM");
     KWorkSpace::detectPlatform(argc, argv);
     QApplication app(argc, argv);
     if (!qpaVariable) {
         // don't leak the env variable to processes we start
         qunsetenv("QT_QPA_PLATFORM");
     }
+
+    // Since we spawn processes from plasmashell, restore variable
+    qputenv("SESSION_MANAGER", sessionManagerVariable);
+
     KLocalizedString::setApplicationDomain("plasmashell");
 
     // The executable's path is added to the library/plugin paths.
@@ -123,14 +130,6 @@
     cliOptions.process(app);
     aboutData.processCommandLine(&cliOptions);
 
-    QGuiApplication::setFallbackSessionManagementEnabled(false);
-
-    auto disableSessionManagement = [](QSessionManager &sm) {
-        sm.setRestartHint(QSessionManager::RestartNever);
-    };
-    QObject::connect(&app, &QGuiApplication::commitDataRequest, disableSessionManagement);
-    QObject::connect(&app, &QGuiApplication::saveStateRequest, disableSessionManagement);
-
     ShellManager::s_fixedShell = cliOptions.value(shellPluginOption);
 
     if (!cliOptions.isSet(noRespawnOption) && !cliOptions.isSet(testOption)) {