diff --git a/shell/screenpool.cpp b/shell/screenpool.cpp
index b41a2fd7f..7ed58f550 100644
--- a/shell/screenpool.cpp
+++ b/shell/screenpool.cpp
@@ -38,16 +38,18 @@ ScreenPool::ScreenPool(const KSharedConfig::Ptr &config, QObject *parent)
 
 void ScreenPool::load()
 {
-    m_primaryConnector = QString();
+    m_primaryConnector.clear();
     m_connectorForId.clear();
     m_idForConnector.clear();
 
-    QScreen *primary = qGuiApp->primaryScreen();
-    if (primary) {
-        m_primaryConnector = primary->name();
-        if (!m_primaryConnector.isEmpty()) {
-            m_connectorForId[0] = m_primaryConnector;
-            m_idForConnector[m_primaryConnector] = 0;
+    if (KWindowSystem::isPlatformX11()) {
+        QScreen *primary = qGuiApp->primaryScreen();
+        if (primary) {
+            m_primaryConnector = primary->name();
+            if (!m_primaryConnector.isEmpty()) {
+                m_connectorForId[0] = m_primaryConnector;
+                m_idForConnector[m_primaryConnector] = 0;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -86,6 +88,11 @@ QString ScreenPool::primaryConnector() const
     return m_primaryConnector;
 }
 
+int ScreenPool::primaryScreenId() const
+{
+    return m_idForConnector.value(m_primaryConnector);
+}
+
 void ScreenPool::setPrimaryConnector(const QString &primary)
 {
     if (m_primaryConnector == primary) {
diff --git a/shell/screenpool.h b/shell/screenpool.h
index 278821cc4..135135389 100644
--- a/shell/screenpool.h
+++ b/shell/screenpool.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ public:
     void load();
     ~ScreenPool() override;
 
+    int primaryScreenId() const;
     QString primaryConnector() const;
     void setPrimaryConnector(const QString &primary);
 
diff --git a/shell/shellcorona.cpp b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
index 5b33883f0..80df4bd67 100644
--- a/shell/shellcorona.cpp
+++ b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
@@ -662,11 +662,10 @@ void ShellCorona::load()
                 // historically CustomContainments are treated as desktops
             } else if (containment->containmentType() == Plasma::Types::DesktopContainment
                        || containment->containmentType() == Plasma::Types::CustomContainment) {
-                // FIXME ideally fix this, or at least document the crap out of it
                 int screen = containment->lastScreen();
                 if (screen < 0) {
-                    screen = 0;
-                    qWarning() << "last screen is < 0 so putting containment on screen " << screen;
+                    screen = m_screenPool->primaryScreenId();
+                    qWarning() << "last screen is unknown so putting containment on screen " << screen;
                 }
                 insertContainment(containment->activity(), screen, containment);
             }
@@ -1292,7 +1291,7 @@ void ShellCorona::createWaitingPanels()
         // ignore non existing (yet?) screens
         int requestedScreen = cont->lastScreen();
         if (requestedScreen < 0) {
-            requestedScreen = 0;
+            requestedScreen = m_desktopViewforId.cbegin().key();
         }
 
         DesktopView *desktopView = m_desktopViewforId.value(requestedScreen);