diff --git a/src/backends/drm/drm_backend.cpp b/src/backends/drm/drm_backend.cpp
index 37efbc9ba1..11e450925c 100644
--- a/src/backends/drm/drm_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/drm/drm_backend.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ bool DrmBackend::initialize()
             m_udevMonitor->enable();
         }
     }
-    setReady(true);
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backends/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp b/src/backends/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
index 452c67e520..1b19be4eb5 100644
--- a/src/backends/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ VirtualBackend::~VirtualBackend()
 
 bool VirtualBackend::initialize()
 {
-    setReady(true);
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backends/wayland/wayland_backend.cpp b/src/backends/wayland/wayland_backend.cpp
index 22643f99e4..0a0aee57d3 100644
--- a/src/backends/wayland/wayland_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/wayland/wayland_backend.cpp
@@ -608,7 +608,6 @@ bool WaylandBackend::initialize()
         m_waylandCursor->init();
     });
 
-    setReady(true);
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/standalone/x11_standalone_backend.cpp b/src/backends/x11/standalone/x11_standalone_backend.cpp
index 651b136935..51741328d6 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/standalone/x11_standalone_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/x11/standalone/x11_standalone_backend.cpp
@@ -128,9 +128,7 @@ X11StandaloneBackend::~X11StandaloneBackend()
     if (sceneEglDisplay() != EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
         eglTerminate(sceneEglDisplay());
     }
-    if (isReady()) {
-        XRenderUtils::cleanup();
-    }
+    XRenderUtils::cleanup();
 }
 
 bool X11StandaloneBackend::initialize()
@@ -139,7 +137,6 @@ bool X11StandaloneBackend::initialize()
         return false;
     }
     XRenderUtils::init(kwinApp()->x11Connection(), kwinApp()->x11RootWindow());
-    setReady(true);
     initOutputs();
 
     if (Xcb::Extensions::self()->isRandrAvailable()) {
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/windowed/x11_windowed_backend.cpp b/src/backends/x11/windowed/x11_windowed_backend.cpp
index 850f8ad54f..9117ec4b0c 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/windowed/x11_windowed_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/x11/windowed/x11_windowed_backend.cpp
@@ -206,7 +206,6 @@ bool X11WindowedBackend::initialize()
             KWin::Cursor *c = KWin::Cursors::self()->currentCursor();
             createCursor(c->image(), c->hotspot());
         });
-        setReady(true);
         m_pointerDevice = std::make_unique<X11WindowedInputDevice>();
         m_pointerDevice->setPointer(true);
         m_keyboardDevice = std::make_unique<X11WindowedInputDevice>();
diff --git a/src/composite.cpp b/src/composite.cpp
index c98b67b9ea..c037a28a5c 100644
--- a/src/composite.cpp
+++ b/src/composite.cpp
@@ -141,18 +141,7 @@ Compositor::Compositor(QObject *workspace)
     // The ctor of this class is invoked from the Workspace ctor, that means before
     // Workspace is completely constructed, so calling Workspace::self() would result
     // in undefined behavior. This is fixed by using a delayed invocation.
-    if (kwinApp()->outputBackend()->isReady()) {
-        QTimer::singleShot(0, this, &Compositor::start);
-    }
-    connect(
-        kwinApp()->outputBackend(), &OutputBackend::readyChanged, this, [this](bool ready) {
-            if (ready) {
-                start();
-            } else {
-                stop();
-            }
-        },
-        Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    QTimer::singleShot(0, this, &Compositor::start);
 
     connect(kwinApp(), &Application::x11ConnectionChanged, this, &Compositor::initializeX11);
     connect(kwinApp(), &Application::x11ConnectionAboutToBeDestroyed, this, &Compositor::cleanupX11);
diff --git a/src/core/outputbackend.cpp b/src/core/outputbackend.cpp
index 8227ebefdc..8ee42c103b 100644
--- a/src/core/outputbackend.cpp
+++ b/src/core/outputbackend.cpp
@@ -91,15 +91,6 @@ Output *OutputBackend::findOutput(const QString &name) const
     return nullptr;
 }
 
-void OutputBackend::setReady(bool ready)
-{
-    if (m_ready == ready) {
-        return;
-    }
-    m_ready = ready;
-    Q_EMIT readyChanged(m_ready);
-}
-
 Output *OutputBackend::createVirtualOutput(const QString &name, const QSize &size, double scale)
 {
     return nullptr;
diff --git a/src/core/outputbackend.h b/src/core/outputbackend.h
index 8836a36c51..8779226185 100644
--- a/src/core/outputbackend.h
+++ b/src/core/outputbackend.h
@@ -74,10 +74,6 @@ public:
      */
     void setSceneEglGlobalShareContext(EGLContext context);
 
-    bool isReady() const
-    {
-        return m_ready;
-    }
     void setInitialWindowSize(const QSize &size)
     {
         m_initialWindowSize = size;
@@ -135,7 +131,6 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void outputsQueried();
-    void readyChanged(bool);
     /**
      * This signal is emitted when an output has been connected. The @a output is not ready
      * for compositing yet.
@@ -148,7 +143,6 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
 
 protected:
     explicit OutputBackend(QObject *parent = nullptr);
-    void setReady(bool ready);
     QSize initialWindowSize() const
     {
         return m_initialWindowSize;
@@ -159,7 +153,6 @@ protected:
     }
 
 private:
-    bool m_ready = false;
     QSize m_initialWindowSize;
     QByteArray m_deviceIdentifier;
     int m_initialOutputCount = 1;