diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 1e98c8c0f8..ad2d0d59db 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     * [keyboard support should not require `dbus`](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/9099fee25d28b97045a65e4fb838d3e69d94eb56)
     * [validate application's opaque-region property](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/d625380dbeee833b99ba7c0d1968367b77d2d6cd)
     * [window border offset with non-opengl renderer](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/b31d3b4f35fe8e372e9c975c8b5da8ce2ca99761)
+    * [client fails without window forwarding](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/dea2c6557c87c40ce36367aa7c5fabcd56ba657f)
 * Minor:
     * [try to handle homeless user accounts more gracefully](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/e8cb51b76c1a78c1b74b3c920232c5c8da3802ba)
     * [try harder to find a matching key by name](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/a472331a3237f5d5f753869ec822b35794a69f10), [use default modifiers if that's all we've got](https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/commit/8e88cda570dddc05c0b1d395d58deca8d8178810)
diff --git a/packaging/debian/xpra/changelog b/packaging/debian/xpra/changelog
index 1b4bec3101..4f33ab3069 100644
--- a/packaging/debian/xpra/changelog
+++ b/packaging/debian/xpra/changelog
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ xpra (6.1.1-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     missing context manager when X11 session started from a Wayland desktop
     keyboard support should not require `dbus`
     validate application's opaque-region property
+    client fails without window forwarding
   * Minor:
     try to handle homeless user accounts more gracefully
     try harder to find a matching key by name, use default modifiers if that's all we've got
diff --git a/packaging/rpm/xpra.spec b/packaging/rpm/xpra.spec
index a0585b9273..b1e73d4085 100644
--- a/packaging/rpm/xpra.spec
+++ b/packaging/rpm/xpra.spec
@@ -905,6 +905,7 @@ fi
    keyboard support should not require `dbus`
    validate application's opaque-region property
    window border offset with non-opengl renderer
+   client fails without window forwarding
 - Minor:
    try to handle homeless user accounts more gracefully
    try harder to find a matching key by name, use default modifiers if that's all we've got
diff --git a/xpra/client/gtk3/client_base.py b/xpra/client/gtk3/client_base.py
index 7be4843cea..332b364c0f 100644
--- a/xpra/client/gtk3/client_base.py
+++ b/xpra/client/gtk3/client_base.py
@@ -179,9 +179,11 @@ def setup_frame_request_windows(self) -> None:
     def run(self) -> ExitValue:
         log(f"run() HAS_X11_BINDINGS={HAS_X11_BINDINGS}")
         # call this once early:
-        ignorewarnings(self.get_mouse_position)
-        if HAS_X11_BINDINGS:
-            self.setup_frame_request_windows()
+        from xpra.client.gui import features
+        if features.windows:
+            ignorewarnings(self.get_mouse_position)
+            if HAS_X11_BINDINGS:
+                self.setup_frame_request_windows()
         UIXpraClient.run(self)
         self.gtk_main()
         log(f"GTKXpraClient.run_main_loop() main loop ended, returning exit_code={self.exit_code}", )
diff --git a/xpra/client/gui/ui_client_base.py b/xpra/client/gui/ui_client_base.py
index 75ab5776ed..33cdef64db 100644
--- a/xpra/client/gui/ui_client_base.py
+++ b/xpra/client/gui/ui_client_base.py
@@ -421,8 +421,6 @@ def skipkeys(d, *keys):
             caps["platform"] = pi
             caps["opengl"] = op
             caps["session-type"] = get_session_type()
-        if self.desktop_fullscreen:
-            caps["desktop-fullscreen"] = True
         return caps
 
     ######################################################################
diff --git a/xpra/client/mixins/display.py b/xpra/client/mixins/display.py
index d8fd5854e2..4ef3e2a265 100644
--- a/xpra/client/mixins/display.py
+++ b/xpra/client/mixins/display.py
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ def get_caps(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
         caps.update(self.get_screen_caps())
         caps["dpi"] = self.get_dpi_caps()
         caps["screen-scaling"] = self.get_scaling_caps()
+        if self.desktop_fullscreen:
+            caps["desktop-fullscreen"] = True
         self.log_screen_info = False        # don't log it again
         return caps