diff --git a/main_wayland.cpp b/main_wayland.cpp
index d354736817..4411cb6524 100644
--- a/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -174,6 +174,22 @@ void ApplicationWayland::continueStartupWithX()
         ::exit(1);
     }
 
+    if (!m_inputMethodServerToStart.isEmpty()) {
+        int socket = dup(waylandServer()->createInputMethodConnection());
+        if (socket >= 0) {
+            QProcessEnvironment environment = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
+            environment.insert(QStringLiteral("WAYLAND_SOCKET"), QByteArray::number(socket));
+            environment.insert(QStringLiteral("QT_QPA_PLATFORM"), QStringLiteral("wayland"));
+            environment.insert(QStringLiteral("QT_IM_MODULE"), QStringLiteral("maliit"));
+            environment.remove("DISPLAY");
+            environment.remove("WAYLAND_DISPLAY");
+            QProcess *p = new QProcess(this);
+            p->setProcessEnvironment(environment);
+            p->start(m_inputMethodServerToStart);
+            p->waitForStarted();
+        }
+    }
+
     // start the applications passed to us as command line arguments
     if (!m_applicationsToStart.isEmpty()) {
         QProcessEnvironment environment = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
@@ -418,6 +434,7 @@ KWIN_EXPORT int kdemain(int argc, char * argv[])
 #endif
 
     qunsetenv("QT_DEVICE_PIXEL_RATIO");
+    qunsetenv("QT_IM_MODULE");
     qputenv("WAYLAND_SOCKET", QByteArray::number(server->createQtConnection()));
     qputenv("QT_WAYLAND_DISABLE_WINDOWDECORATION", "1");
     KWin::ApplicationWayland a(argc, argv);
@@ -479,6 +496,12 @@ KWIN_EXPORT int kdemain(int argc, char * argv[])
     QCommandLineOption drmOption(QStringLiteral("drm"), i18n("Render through drm node."));
     parser.addOption(drmOption);
 #endif
+
+    QCommandLineOption inputMethodOption(QStringLiteral("inputmethod"),
+                                         i18n("Input method that KWin starts."),
+                                         QStringLiteral("path/to/imserver"));
+    parser.addOption(inputMethodOption);
+
     parser.addPositionalArgument(QStringLiteral("applications"),
                                  i18n("Applications to start once Wayland and Xwayland server are started"),
                                  QStringLiteral("[/path/to/application...]"));
@@ -576,6 +599,7 @@ KWIN_EXPORT int kdemain(int argc, char * argv[])
 
     a.setStartXwayland(parser.isSet(xwaylandOption));
     a.setApplicationsToStart(parser.positionalArguments());
+    a.setInputMethodServerToStart(parser.value(inputMethodOption));
     a.start();
 
     return a.exec();
diff --git a/main_wayland.h b/main_wayland.h
index f77ebd62b1..b6ef584e22 100644
--- a/main_wayland.h
+++ b/main_wayland.h
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ public:
     void setApplicationsToStart(const QStringList &applications) {
         m_applicationsToStart = applications;
     }
+    void setInputMethodServerToStart(const QString &inputMethodServer) {
+        m_inputMethodServerToStart = inputMethodServer;
+    }
 
     bool notify(QObject *o, QEvent *e) override;
 
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ private:
     bool m_startXWayland = false;
     int m_xcbConnectionFd = -1;
     QStringList m_applicationsToStart;
+    QString m_inputMethodServerToStart;
     QProcess *m_xwaylandProcess = nullptr;
 };
 
diff --git a/shell_client.cpp b/shell_client.cpp
index 805d72bf76..7420ec5fa5 100644
--- a/shell_client.cpp
+++ b/shell_client.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ ShellClient::ShellClient(ShellSurfaceInterface *surface)
         setGeometry(QRect(QPoint(0, 0), m_clientSize));
         setDesktop(VirtualDesktopManager::self()->current());
     }
+    if (waylandServer()->inputMethodConnection() == m_shellSurface->client()) {
+        m_windowType = NET::OnScreenDisplay;
+    }
 
     connect(surface->surface(), &SurfaceInterface::sizeChanged, this,
         [this] {
@@ -420,6 +423,9 @@ bool ShellClient::wantsInput() const
     if (isInternal()) {
         return false;
     }
+    if (waylandServer()->inputMethodConnection() == m_shellSurface->client()) {
+        return false;
+    }
     // if the window is not visible it doesn't get input
     return isShown(true);
 }
diff --git a/wayland_server.cpp b/wayland_server.cpp
index c1172bf232..bb03996c77 100644
--- a/wayland_server.cpp
+++ b/wayland_server.cpp
@@ -189,6 +189,17 @@ int WaylandServer::createXWaylandConnection()
     return sx[1];
 }
 
+int WaylandServer::createInputMethodConnection()
+{
+    int sx[2];
+    if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0, sx) < 0) {
+        qCWarning(KWIN_CORE) << "Could not create socket";
+        return -1;
+    }
+    m_inputMethodServerConnection = m_display->createClient(sx[0]);
+    return sx[1];
+}
+
 int WaylandServer::createQtConnection()
 {
     int sx[2];
diff --git a/wayland_server.h b/wayland_server.h
index e33ef79b48..8fcd380caa 100644
--- a/wayland_server.h
+++ b/wayland_server.h
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ public:
      **/
     int createXWaylandConnection();
 
+    /**
+     * @returns file descriptor to the input method server's socket.
+     **/
+    int createInputMethodConnection();
+
     /**
      * @returns file descriptor for QtWayland
      **/
@@ -108,6 +113,9 @@ public:
     KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *qtConnection() const {
         return m_qtConnection;
     }
+    KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *inputMethodConnection() const {
+        return m_inputMethodServerConnection;
+    }
     KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *internalConnection() const {
         return m_internalConnection.server;
     }
@@ -134,6 +142,7 @@ private:
     KWayland::Server::PlasmaShellInterface *m_plasmaShell = nullptr;
     KWayland::Server::QtSurfaceExtensionInterface *m_qtExtendedSurface = nullptr;
     KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *m_xwaylandConnection = nullptr;
+    KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *m_inputMethodServerConnection = nullptr;
     KWayland::Server::ClientConnection *m_qtConnection = nullptr;
     KWayland::Client::ConnectionThread *m_qtClientConnection = nullptr;
     struct {