diff --git a/clients/dnd.c b/clients/dnd.c
index 32dec967..de1ca473 100644
--- a/clients/dnd.c
+++ b/clients/dnd.c
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ item_create(struct display *display, int x, int y, int seed)
 
 	rect.width = item_width;
 	rect.height = item_height;
-	item->surface = display_create_surface(display, NULL, &rect, 0);
+	item->surface =
+		display_create_surface(display, NULL, &rect, SURFACE_SHM);
 
 	item->x = x;
 	item->y = y;
@@ -322,7 +323,8 @@ create_drag_cursor(struct dnd_drag *dnd_drag,
 
 	rectangle.width = item_width + 2 * pointer->width;
 	rectangle.height = item_height + 2 * pointer->height;
-	surface = display_create_surface(dnd->display, NULL, &rectangle, 0);
+	surface = display_create_surface(dnd->display, NULL, &rectangle,
+					 SURFACE_SHM);
 
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
 	cairo_translate(cr, pointer->width, pointer->height);
diff --git a/clients/window.c b/clients/window.c
index 4c94d16b..bab5d766 100644
--- a/clients/window.c
+++ b/clients/window.c
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ display_create_surface(struct display *display,
 	if (check_size(rectangle) < 0)
 		return NULL;
 #ifdef HAVE_CAIRO_EGL
-	if (display->dpy)
+	if (display->dpy && !(flags & SURFACE_SHM))
 		return display_create_egl_window_surface(display,
 							 surface,
 							 flags,
diff --git a/clients/window.h b/clients/window.h
index e1a9aa2b..7e968d0e 100644
--- a/clients/window.h
+++ b/clients/window.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ display_get_image_for_egl_image_surface(struct display *display,
 #endif
 
 #define SURFACE_OPAQUE 0x01
+#define SURFACE_SHM    0x02
 
 cairo_surface_t *
 display_create_surface(struct display *display,