diff --git a/abstract_wayland_output.h b/abstract_wayland_output.h
--- a/abstract_wayland_output.h
+++ b/abstract_wayland_output.h
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@
 
     QString name() const override;
     QByteArray uuid() const override;
-    bool isEnabled() const {
-        return !m_waylandOutput.isNull();
-    }
 
     QSize pixelSize() const;
     qreal scale() const override;
@@ -152,6 +149,7 @@
 private:
     void createWaylandOutput();
     void createXdgOutput();
+    bool isEnabled() const;
 
     QPointer<KWayland::Server::OutputInterface> m_waylandOutput;
     QPointer<KWayland::Server::XdgOutputInterface> m_xdgOutput;
diff --git a/abstract_wayland_output.cpp b/abstract_wayland_output.cpp
--- a/abstract_wayland_output.cpp
+++ b/abstract_wayland_output.cpp
@@ -84,10 +84,8 @@
 {
     m_waylandOutputDevice->setGlobalPosition(pos);
 
-    if (m_waylandOutput) {
+    if (isEnabled()) {
         m_waylandOutput->setGlobalPosition(pos);
-    }
-    if (m_xdgOutput) {
         m_xdgOutput->setLogicalPosition(pos);
         m_xdgOutput->done();
     }
@@ -107,16 +105,14 @@
 {
     m_waylandOutputDevice->setScaleF(scale);
 
-    if (m_waylandOutput) {
+    if (isEnabled()) {
         // this is the scale that clients will ideally use for their buffers
         // this has to be an int which is fine
 
         // I don't know whether we want to round or ceil
         // or maybe even set this to 3 when we're scaling to 1.5
         // don't treat this like it's chosen deliberately
         m_waylandOutput->setScale(std::ceil(scale));
-    }
-    if (m_xdgOutput) {
         m_xdgOutput->setLogicalSize(pixelSize() / scale);
         m_xdgOutput->done();
     }
@@ -155,6 +151,13 @@
     }
 }
 
+using Enablement = KWayland::Server::OutputDeviceInterface::Enablement;
+
+bool AbstractWaylandOutput::isEnabled() const
+{
+    return m_waylandOutputDevice->enabled() == Enablement::Enabled;
+}
+
 void AbstractWaylandOutput::setEnabled(bool enable)
 {
     if (enable == isEnabled()) {
@@ -167,20 +170,17 @@
         updateDpms(KWayland::Server::OutputInterface::DpmsMode::Off);
         delete waylandOutput().data();
     }
-    waylandOutputDevice()->setEnabled(enable ? KWayland::Server::OutputDeviceInterface::Enablement::Enabled :
-                                               KWayland::Server::OutputDeviceInterface::Enablement::Disabled);
+    waylandOutputDevice()->setEnabled(enable ? Enablement::Enabled : Enablement::Disabled);
 }
 
 void AbstractWaylandOutput::setWaylandMode(const QSize &size, int refreshRate)
 {
-    if (m_waylandOutput.isNull()) {
+    if (!isEnabled()) {
         return;
     }
     m_waylandOutput->setCurrentMode(size, refreshRate);
-    if (m_xdgOutput) {
-        m_xdgOutput->setLogicalSize(pixelSize() / scale());
-        m_xdgOutput->done();
-    }
+    m_xdgOutput->setLogicalSize(pixelSize() / scale());
+    m_xdgOutput->done();
 }
 
 void AbstractWaylandOutput::createXdgOutput()
@@ -254,6 +254,9 @@
     m_waylandOutputDevice->setModel(model);
     m_waylandOutputDevice->setPhysicalSize(physicalSize);
 
+    // The output must be explicitly enabled by the backend after initialization.
+    m_waylandOutputDevice->setEnabled(Enablement::Disabled);
+
     int i = 0;
     for (auto mode : modes) {
         qCDebug(KWIN_CORE).nospace() << "Adding mode " << ++i << ": " << mode.size << " [" << mode.refreshRate << "]";