diff --git a/wayland_backend.cpp b/wayland_backend.cpp
index 9b8734fa3b..0588ffc1fe 100644
--- a/wayland_backend.cpp
+++ b/wayland_backend.cpp
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ void X11CursorTracker::cursorChanged(uint32_t serial)
         return;
     }
     ShmPool *pool = m_backend->shmPool();
-    if (!pool) {
+    if (!pool->isValid()) {
         return;
     }
     CursorData cursor;
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ WaylandBackend::WaylandBackend(QObject *parent)
     , m_surface(new Surface(this))
     , m_shellSurface(NULL)
     , m_seat()
-    , m_shm()
+    , m_shm(new ShmPool(this))
     , m_connectionThreadObject(nullptr)
     , m_connectionThread(nullptr)
     , m_fullscreenShell(new FullscreenShell(this))
@@ -440,7 +440,11 @@ WaylandBackend::WaylandBackend(QObject *parent)
         }
     );
     connect(m_registry, &Registry::seatAnnounced, this, &WaylandBackend::createSeat);
-    connect(m_registry, &Registry::shmAnnounced, this, &WaylandBackend::createShm);
+    connect(m_registry, &Registry::shmAnnounced, this,
+        [this](quint32 name) {
+            m_shm->setup(m_registry->bindShm(name, 1));
+        }
+    );
     connect(m_registry, &Registry::fullscreenShellAnnounced, this,
         [this](quint32 name, quint32 version) {
             m_fullscreenShell->setup(m_registry->bindFullscreenShell(name, version));
@@ -464,7 +468,7 @@ WaylandBackend::~WaylandBackend()
     }
     m_registry->release();
     m_seat.reset();
-    m_shm.reset();
+    m_shm->release();
 
     m_connectionThreadObject->deleteLater();
     m_connectionThread->quit();
@@ -507,7 +511,7 @@ void WaylandBackend::initConnection()
         [this]() {
             emit systemCompositorDied();
             m_seat.reset();
-            m_shm.reset();
+            m_shm->destroy();
             destroyOutputs();
             if (m_shellSurface) {
                 m_shellSurface->destroy();
@@ -586,14 +590,6 @@ void WaylandBackend::createSurface()
     }
 }
 
-void WaylandBackend::createShm(uint32_t name)
-{
-    m_shm.reset(new ShmPool(m_registry->bindShm(name, 1)));
-    if (!m_shm->isValid()) {
-        m_shm.reset();
-    }
-}
-
 void WaylandBackend::addOutput(wl_output *o)
 {
     Output *output = new Output(this);
diff --git a/wayland_backend.h b/wayland_backend.h
index ba43cb066a..f9b9a3fdb1 100644
--- a/wayland_backend.h
+++ b/wayland_backend.h
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ public:
     const QList<Output*> &outputs() const;
     ShmPool *shmPool();
     void createSeat(uint32_t name);
-    void createShm(uint32_t name);
 
     Surface *surface() const;
     QSize shellSurfaceSize() const;
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ private:
     Surface *m_surface;
     ShellSurface *m_shellSurface;
     QScopedPointer<WaylandSeat> m_seat;
-    QScopedPointer<ShmPool> m_shm;
+    ShmPool *m_shm;
     QList<Output*> m_outputs;
     ConnectionThread *m_connectionThreadObject;
     QThread *m_connectionThread;
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ wl_compositor *WaylandBackend::compositor()
 inline
 ShmPool* WaylandBackend::shmPool()
 {
-    return m_shm.data();
+    return m_shm;
 }
 
 inline
diff --git a/wayland_client/shm_pool.cpp b/wayland_client/shm_pool.cpp
index a08f7b7b29..dccdc24c92 100644
--- a/wayland_client/shm_pool.cpp
+++ b/wayland_client/shm_pool.cpp
@@ -32,30 +32,71 @@ namespace KWin
 namespace Wayland
 {
 
-ShmPool::ShmPool(wl_shm *shm)
-    : m_shm(shm)
+ShmPool::ShmPool(QObject *parent)
+    : QObject(parent)
+    , m_shm(nullptr)
     , m_pool(nullptr)
     , m_poolData(nullptr)
     , m_size(1024)
     , m_tmpFile(new QTemporaryFile())
-    , m_valid(createPool())
+    , m_valid(false)
     , m_offset(0)
 {
 }
 
 ShmPool::~ShmPool()
+{
+    release();
+}
+
+void ShmPool::release()
 {
     qDeleteAll(m_buffers);
+    m_buffers.clear();
     if (m_poolData) {
         munmap(m_poolData, m_size);
+        m_poolData = nullptr;
     }
     if (m_pool) {
         wl_shm_pool_destroy(m_pool);
+        m_pool = nullptr;
     }
     if (m_shm) {
         wl_shm_destroy(m_shm);
+        m_shm = nullptr;
     }
     m_tmpFile->close();
+    m_valid = false;
+    m_offset = 0;
+}
+
+void ShmPool::destroy()
+{
+    qDeleteAll(m_buffers);
+    m_buffers.clear();
+    if (m_poolData) {
+        munmap(m_poolData, m_size);
+        m_poolData = nullptr;
+    }
+    if (m_pool) {
+        free(m_pool);
+        m_pool = nullptr;
+    }
+    if (m_shm) {
+        free(m_shm);
+        m_shm = nullptr;
+    }
+    m_tmpFile->close();
+    m_valid = false;
+    m_offset = 0;
+}
+
+void ShmPool::setup(wl_shm *shm)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(shm);
+    Q_ASSERT(!m_shm);
+    m_shm = shm;
+    m_valid = createPool();
 }
 
 bool ShmPool::createPool()
diff --git a/wayland_client/shm_pool.h b/wayland_client/shm_pool.h
index 9b1c8ff314..e0319ec22f 100644
--- a/wayland_client/shm_pool.h
+++ b/wayland_client/shm_pool.h
@@ -40,9 +40,13 @@ class ShmPool : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    ShmPool(wl_shm *shm);
-    ~ShmPool();
+    explicit ShmPool(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    virtual ~ShmPool();
     bool isValid() const;
+    void setup(wl_shm *shm);
+    void release();
+    void destroy();
+
     wl_buffer *createBuffer(const QImage &image);
     wl_buffer *createBuffer(const QSize &size, int32_t stride, const void *src);
     void *poolAddress() const;