diff --git a/compositor/WindowManager.vala b/compositor/WindowManager.vala
index 65028ce0a..7cbb88fcc 100644
--- a/compositor/WindowManager.vala
+++ b/compositor/WindowManager.vala
@@ -76,6 +76,21 @@ namespace GreeterCompositor {
         public override void start () {
             show_stage ();
 
+            unowned var background_actor = system_background.background_actor;
+            background_actor.opacity = 0;
+            background_actor.save_easing_state ();
+            background_actor.set_easing_duration (1000);
+            background_actor.set_easing_mode (Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE);
+            background_actor.opacity = 255;
+            background_actor.restore_easing_state ();
+
+            ui_group.opacity = 0;
+            ui_group.save_easing_state ();
+            ui_group.set_easing_duration (1000);
+            ui_group.set_easing_mode (Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE);
+            ui_group.opacity = 255;
+            ui_group.restore_easing_state ();
+
             unowned Meta.Display display = get_display ();
             display.gl_video_memory_purged.connect (() => {
                 refresh_background ();
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 ();