diff --git a/compositor/WindowManager.vala b/compositor/WindowManager.vala
index 65028ce0a..7995e03fa 100644
--- a/compositor/WindowManager.vala
+++ b/compositor/WindowManager.vala
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ namespace GreeterCompositor {
 
         public Greeter.SystemBackground system_background { get; private set; }
 
-        Meta.PluginInfo info;
+        private Clutter.Actor fade_in_screen;
+
+        private Meta.PluginInfo info;
 
         // Used to toggle screenreader
         private GLib.Settings application_settings;
@@ -76,6 +78,12 @@ namespace GreeterCompositor {
         public override void start () {
             show_stage ();
 
+            fade_in_screen.save_easing_state ();
+            fade_in_screen.set_easing_duration (1000);
+            fade_in_screen.set_easing_mode (Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE);
+            fade_in_screen.opacity = 0;
+            fade_in_screen.restore_easing_state ();
+
             unowned Meta.Display display = get_display ();
             display.gl_video_memory_purged.connect (() => {
                 refresh_background ();
@@ -124,6 +132,15 @@ namespace GreeterCompositor {
             pointer_locator = new PointerLocator (this);
             ui_group.add_child (pointer_locator);
 
+            int width, height;
+            display.get_size (out width, out height);
+            fade_in_screen = new Clutter.Actor () {
+                width = width,
+                height = height,
+                background_color = Clutter.Color.from_rgba (0, 0, 0, 255),
+            };
+            stage.add_child (fade_in_screen);
+
             MaskCorners.init (this);
 
             /*keybindings*/
diff --git a/src/Application.vala b/src/Application.vala
index 9695b4532..c107f55a0 100644
--- a/src/Application.vala
+++ b/src/Application.vala
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ public int main (string[] args) {
     var settings_daemon = new Greeter.SettingsDaemon ();
     settings_daemon.start ();
 
-    Gtk.init (ref args);
-
     Greeter.SubprocessSupervisor compositor;
     Greeter.SubprocessSupervisor wingpanel;
 
@@ -43,6 +41,8 @@ public int main (string[] args) {
         critical (e.message);
     }
 
+    Gtk.init (ref args);
+
     var window = new Greeter.MainWindow ();
     window.show_all ();