diff --git a/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.cpp b/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.cpp
index 698d12bece..ab072be8d1 100644
--- a/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.cpp
@@ -112,11 +112,20 @@ void Compositor::init_bitmaps()
     invalidate_screen();
 }
 
+void Compositor::did_construct_window_manager(Badge<WindowManager>)
+{
+    auto& wm = WindowManager::the();
+    m_wallpaper_mode = mode_to_enum(wm.config()->read_entry("Background", "Mode", "simple"));
+    m_custom_background_color = Color::from_string(wm.config()->read_entry("Background", "Color", ""));
+
+    invalidate_screen();
+    invalidate_occlusions();
+    compose();
+}
+
 void Compositor::compose()
 {
     auto& wm = WindowManager::the();
-    if (m_wallpaper_mode == WallpaperMode::Unchecked)
-        m_wallpaper_mode = mode_to_enum(wm.config()->read_entry("Background", "Mode", "simple"));
     auto& ws = Screen::the();
 
     {
@@ -185,10 +194,8 @@ void Compositor::compose()
     });
 
     Color background_color = wm.palette().desktop_background();
-    String background_color_entry = wm.config()->read_entry("Background", "Color", "");
-    if (!background_color_entry.is_empty()) {
-        background_color = Color::from_string(background_color_entry).value_or(background_color);
-    }
+    if (m_custom_background_color.has_value())
+        background_color = m_custom_background_color.value();
 
 #ifdef COMPOSE_DEBUG
     dbg() << "COMPOSE: invalidated: window:" << m_invalidated_window << " cursor:" << m_invalidated_cursor << " any: " << m_invalidated_any;
@@ -600,6 +607,12 @@ void Compositor::start_compose_async_timer()
 
 bool Compositor::set_background_color(const String& background_color)
 {
+    auto color = Color::from_string(background_color);
+    if (!color.has_value())
+        return false;
+
+    m_custom_background_color = color;
+
     auto& wm = WindowManager::the();
     wm.config()->write_entry("Background", "Color", background_color);
     bool ret_val = wm.config()->sync();
diff --git a/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.h b/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.h
index d33f5258c7..1e6a3e2014 100644
--- a/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.h
+++ b/Services/WindowServer/Compositor.h
@@ -29,14 +29,15 @@
 #include <AK/OwnPtr.h>
 #include <AK/RefPtr.h>
 #include <LibCore/Object.h>
+#include <LibGfx/Color.h>
 #include <LibGfx/DisjointRectSet.h>
-#include <LibGfx/Forward.h>
 
 namespace WindowServer {
 
 class ClientConnection;
 class Cursor;
 class Window;
+class WindowManager;
 
 enum class WallpaperMode {
     Simple,
@@ -73,6 +74,8 @@ public:
 
     void invalidate_occlusions() { m_occlusions_dirty = true; }
 
+    void did_construct_window_manager(Badge<WindowManager>);
+
 private:
     Compositor();
     void init_bitmaps();
@@ -125,6 +128,8 @@ private:
 
     RefPtr<Core::Timer> m_display_link_notify_timer;
     size_t m_display_link_count { 0 };
+
+    Optional<Gfx::Color> m_custom_background_color;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/Services/WindowServer/WindowManager.cpp b/Services/WindowServer/WindowManager.cpp
index c2f3cc0acf..568fde9190 100644
--- a/Services/WindowServer/WindowManager.cpp
+++ b/Services/WindowServer/WindowManager.cpp
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ WindowManager::WindowManager(const Gfx::PaletteImpl& palette)
 
     reload_config(false);
 
-    Compositor::the().invalidate_screen();
-    Compositor::the().invalidate_occlusions();
-    Compositor::the().compose();
+    Compositor::the().did_construct_window_manager({});
 }
 
 WindowManager::~WindowManager()