diff --git a/kcms/fonts/CMakeLists.txt b/kcms/fonts/CMakeLists.txt
index b3b4c043e..ef512fd37 100644
--- a/kcms/fonts/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kcms/fonts/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ set(kcm_fonts_PART_SRCS
     fonts.cpp
     fontsaasettings.cpp
     kxftconfig.cpp
+    fontinit.cpp
     ../kfontinst/lib/FcEngine.cpp
     ../kcms-common.cpp
 )
diff --git a/kcms/fonts/fontinit.cpp b/kcms/fonts/fontinit.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1c65d9e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kcms/fonts/fontinit.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+    This file is part of the KDE project.
+
+    SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 David Edmundson <davidedmundson@kde.org>
+
+    SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+*/
+
+#include <KConfig>
+#include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <KWindowSystem>
+#include <QProcess>
+
+extern "C" {
+Q_DECL_EXPORT void kcminit_fonts()
+{
+    KConfig cfg(QStringLiteral("kcmfonts"));
+    KConfigGroup fontsCfg(&cfg, "General");
+
+    QString fontDpiKey = KWindowSystem::isPlatformWayland() ? QStringLiteral("forceFontDPIWayland") : QStringLiteral("forceFontDPI");
+
+    if (!fontsCfg.hasKey(fontDpiKey)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const QByteArray input = "Xft.dpi: " + QByteArray::number(fontsCfg.readEntry(fontDpiKey, 0));
+    QProcess p;
+    p.start(QStringLiteral("xrdb"), {QStringLiteral("-quiet"), QStringLiteral("-merge"), QStringLiteral("-nocpp")});
+    p.setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
+    p.write(input);
+    p.closeWriteChannel();
+    p.waitForFinished(-1);
+}
+}
diff --git a/kcms/fonts/kcm_fonts.desktop b/kcms/fonts/kcm_fonts.desktop
index f1050b627..b9e735ca1 100644
--- a/kcms/fonts/kcm_fonts.desktop
+++ b/kcms/fonts/kcm_fonts.desktop
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [Desktop Entry]
 Icon=preferences-desktop-font
 Type=Service
-X-KDE-ServiceTypes=KCModule
+X-KDE-ServiceTypes=KCModule,KCModuleInit
 X-DocPath=kcontrol/fonts/index.html
 
 X-KDE-Library=kcm_fonts
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ X-KDE-ParentApp=kcontrol
 X-KDE-System-Settings-Parent-Category=appearance
 X-KDE-Weight=50
 
+X-KDE-Init-Symbol=kcminit_fonts
+X-KDE-Init-Phase=0
+
 Name=Fonts
 Name[ar]=الخطوط
 Name[az]=Şriftlər
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma-waylandsession.cpp b/startkde/startplasma-waylandsession.cpp
index 3a054a04f..7f916e409 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma-waylandsession.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma-waylandsession.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     QCoreApplication app(argc, argv);
 
-    setupFontDpi();
     QScopedPointer<QProcess, KillBeforeDeleter> ksplash;
 
     if (!qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KWIN_RESTART_COUNT")) {
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma-x11.cpp b/startkde/startplasma-x11.cpp
index d6b2c5439..817de3511 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma-x11.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma-x11.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     setupCursor(false);
-    setupFontDpi();
     QScopedPointer<QProcess, KillBeforeDeleter> ksplash(setupKSplash());
 
     runEnvironmentScripts();
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.cpp b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
index 008fdfcaf..a17967b47 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
@@ -391,25 +391,6 @@ bool syncDBusEnvironment()
     return job->exec();
 }
 
-void setupFontDpi()
-{
-    KConfig cfg(QStringLiteral("kcmfonts"));
-    KConfigGroup fontsCfg(&cfg, "General");
-
-    if (!fontsCfg.hasKey("forceFontDPI")) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    // TODO port to c++?
-    const QByteArray input = "Xft.dpi: " + QByteArray::number(fontsCfg.readEntry("forceFontDPI", 0));
-    QProcess p;
-    p.start(QStringLiteral("xrdb"), {QStringLiteral("-quiet"), QStringLiteral("-merge"), QStringLiteral("-nocpp")});
-    p.setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
-    p.write(input);
-    p.closeWriteChannel();
-    p.waitForFinished(-1);
-}
-
 static bool desktopLockedAtStart = false;
 
 QProcess *setupKSplash()