diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
index 8c494aa810..76ab17f0e9 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ init_randr13 (GdkScreen *screen)
       XRROutputInfo *output =
 	XRRGetOutputInfo (dpy, resources, resources->outputs[i]);
 
-      if (resources->outputs[i] == primary_output)
+      if (primary_output != None && resources->outputs[i] == primary_output)
         {
           screen_x11->primary_monitor = i;
         }
@@ -785,6 +785,12 @@ init_randr13 (GdkScreen *screen)
           continue;
         }
 
+      /* No RandR1.3+ available or no primary set, fall back to prefer LVDS as primary if present */
+      if (g_ascii_strncasecmp (output->name, "LVDS", 4) == 0)
+        {
+          screen_x11->primary_monitor = i;
+        }
+
       if (output->crtc)
 	{
 	  GdkX11Monitor monitor;