diff --git a/input.cpp b/input.cpp
--- a/input.cpp
+++ b/input.cpp
@@ -1460,6 +1460,7 @@
         if (LogindIntegration::self()->hasSessionControl()) {
             setupLibInput();
         } else {
+            LibInput::Connection::createThread();
             if (LogindIntegration::self()->isConnected()) {
                 LogindIntegration::self()->takeControl();
             } else {
diff --git a/libinput/connection.h b/libinput/connection.h
--- a/libinput/connection.h
+++ b/libinput/connection.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <kwinglobals.h>
 
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QPointer>
 #include <QSize>
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QVector>
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@
 
     void updateLEDs(KWin::Xkb::LEDs leds);
 
+    static void createThread();
+
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void keyChanged(quint32 key, KWin::InputRedirection::KeyboardKeyState, quint32 time, KWin::LibInput::Device *device);
     void pointerButtonChanged(quint32 button, KWin::InputRedirection::PointerButtonState state, quint32 time, KWin::LibInput::Device *device);
@@ -149,7 +152,7 @@
     Xkb::LEDs m_leds;
 
     KWIN_SINGLETON(Connection)
-    static QThread *s_thread;
+    static QPointer<QThread> s_thread;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/libinput/connection.cpp b/libinput/connection.cpp
--- a/libinput/connection.cpp
+++ b/libinput/connection.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 };
 
 Connection *Connection::s_self = nullptr;
-QThread *Connection::s_thread = nullptr;
+QPointer<QThread> Connection::s_thread;
 
 static ConnectionAdaptor *s_adaptor = nullptr;
 static Context *s_context = nullptr;
@@ -107,6 +107,16 @@
     // only here to fix build, using will crash, BUG 343529
 }
 
+void Connection::createThread()
+{
+    if (s_thread) {
+        return;
+    }
+    s_thread = new QThread();
+    s_thread->setObjectName(QStringLiteral("libinput-connection"));
+    s_thread->start();
+}
+
 Connection *Connection::create(QObject *parent)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(!s_self);
@@ -131,10 +141,9 @@
             return nullptr;
         }
     }
-    s_thread = new QThread();
+    Connection::createThread();
     s_self = new Connection(s_context);
     s_self->moveToThread(s_thread);
-    s_thread->start();
     QObject::connect(s_thread, &QThread::finished, s_self, &QObject::deleteLater);
     QObject::connect(s_thread, &QThread::finished, s_thread, &QObject::deleteLater);
     QObject::connect(parent, &QObject::destroyed, s_thread, &QThread::quit);
diff --git a/main_wayland.cpp b/main_wayland.cpp
--- a/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,28 @@
 
 static void readDisplay(int pipe);
 
+enum class RealTimeFlags
+{
+    DontReset,
+    ResetOnFork
+};
+
+namespace {
+void gainRealTime(RealTimeFlags flags = RealTimeFlags::DontReset)
+{
+#if HAVE_SCHED_RESET_ON_FORK
+    const int minPriority = sched_get_priority_min(SCHED_RR);
+    struct sched_param sp;
+    sp.sched_priority = minPriority;
+    int policy = SCHED_RR;
+    if (flags == RealTimeFlags::ResetOnFork) {
+        policy |= SCHED_RESET_ON_FORK;
+    }
+    sched_setscheduler(0, policy, &sp);
+#endif
+}
+}
+
 //************************************
 // ApplicationWayland
 //************************************
@@ -139,6 +161,9 @@
 
     // try creating the Wayland Backend
     createInput();
+    // now libinput thread has been created, adjust scheduler to not leak into other processes
+    gainRealTime(RealTimeFlags::ResetOnFork);
+
     VirtualKeyboard::create(this);
     createBackend();
 }
@@ -460,16 +485,6 @@
     return;
 }
 
-void gainRealTime()
-{
-#if HAVE_SCHED_RESET_ON_FORK
-    const int minPriority = sched_get_priority_min(SCHED_RR);
-    struct sched_param sp;
-    sp.sched_priority = minPriority;
-    sched_setscheduler(0, SCHED_RR | SCHED_RESET_ON_FORK, &sp);
-#endif
-}
-
 void dropNiceCapability()
 {
 #if HAVE_LIBCAP