diff --git a/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml b/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml
index e0f303826..8ecf3215e 100644
--- a/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml
+++ b/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml
@@ -19,5 +19,8 @@
       <method name="finishSaveSession">
           <arg name="name" type="s" direction="in" />
       </method>
+    <!-- Shutdown kwin at the end of the session -->
+      <method name="quit">
+      </method>
    </interface>
 </node>
diff --git a/startkde/plasma-shutdown/CMakeLists.txt b/startkde/plasma-shutdown/CMakeLists.txt
index 2393d7363..86f401e7e 100644
--- a/startkde/plasma-shutdown/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/startkde/plasma-shutdown/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ ecm_qt_declare_logging_category(plasma_shutdown_SRCS  HEADER debug.h IDENTIFIER
 qt5_add_dbus_adaptor(plasma_shutdown_SRCS org.kde.Shutdown.xml shutdown.h Shutdown)
 qt5_add_dbus_interface(plasma_shutdown_SRCS org.kde.Shutdown.xml shutdown_interface)
 qt5_add_dbus_interface( plasma_shutdown_SRCS ../../ksmserver/org.kde.KSMServerInterface.xml ksmserver_interface )
+qt5_add_dbus_interface( plasma_shutdown_SRCS ../../ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml kwin_interface )
 
 add_executable(plasma-shutdown ${plasma_shutdown_SRCS})
 
diff --git a/startkde/plasma-shutdown/shutdown.cpp b/startkde/plasma-shutdown/shutdown.cpp
index 2ed40795d..ad21b622a 100644
--- a/startkde/plasma-shutdown/shutdown.cpp
+++ b/startkde/plasma-shutdown/shutdown.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "sessionmanagementbackend.h"
 #include "ksmserver_interface.h"
+#include "kwin_interface.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 
 
@@ -66,6 +67,12 @@ void Shutdown::logoutCancelled()
 
 void Shutdown::logoutComplete() {
     runShutdownScripts();
+
+    // technically this isn't needed in the systemd managed mode, but it seems harmless for now. Guard if it becomes an issue
+    OrgKdeKWinSessionInterface kwinInterface(QStringLiteral("org.kde.KWin"), QStringLiteral("/Session"), QDBusConnection::sessionBus());
+    QDBusPendingReply<> reply = kwinInterface.quit();
+    reply.waitForFinished();
+
     if (m_shutdownType == KWorkSpace::ShutdownTypeHalt) {
             SessionBackend::self()->shutdown();
     } else if (m_shutdownType == KWorkSpace::ShutdownTypeReboot) {