diff --git a/backend/wayland/backend.c b/backend/wayland/backend.c
index 1ba62e67..ea216511 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/backend.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/backend.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "linux-dmabuf-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "pointer-gestures-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "presentation-time-client-protocol.h"
+#include "xdg-activation-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "xdg-decoration-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "xdg-shell-client-protocol.h"
 #include "tablet-unstable-v2-client-protocol.h"
@@ -244,6 +245,9 @@ static void registry_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry,
 	} else if (strcmp(iface, wl_shm_interface.name) == 0) {
 		wl->shm = wl_registry_bind(registry, name, &wl_shm_interface, 1);
 		wl_shm_add_listener(wl->shm, &shm_listener, wl);
+	} else if (strcmp(iface, xdg_activation_v1_interface.name) == 0) {
+		wl->activation_v1 = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
+			&xdg_activation_v1_interface, 1);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -339,6 +343,7 @@ static void backend_destroy(struct wlr_backend *backend) {
 		zwp_relative_pointer_manager_v1_destroy(wl->zwp_relative_pointer_manager_v1);
 	}
 	free(wl->drm_render_name);
+	free(wl->activation_token);
 	xdg_wm_base_destroy(wl->xdg_wm_base);
 	wl_compositor_destroy(wl->compositor);
 	wl_registry_destroy(wl->registry);
@@ -445,6 +450,12 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_wl_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 	wl->local_display_destroy.notify = handle_display_destroy;
 	wl_display_add_destroy_listener(display, &wl->local_display_destroy);
 
+	const char *token = getenv("XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN");
+	if (token != NULL) {
+		wl->activation_token = strdup(token);
+		unsetenv("XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN");
+	}
+
 	return &wl->backend;
 
 error_remote_display_src:
diff --git a/backend/wayland/meson.build b/backend/wayland/meson.build
index 85b5d697..ebe31529 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/meson.build
+++ b/backend/wayland/meson.build
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ client_protos = [
 	'presentation-time',
 	'relative-pointer-unstable-v1',
 	'tablet-unstable-v2',
+	'xdg-activation-v1',
 	'xdg-decoration-unstable-v1',
 	'xdg-shell',
 ]
diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index 4d9ef56e..8d8f036c 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "linux-dmabuf-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "presentation-time-client-protocol.h"
+#include "xdg-activation-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "xdg-decoration-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "xdg-shell-client-protocol.h"
 
@@ -594,6 +595,12 @@ struct wlr_output *wlr_wl_output_create(struct wlr_backend *wlr_backend) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// TODO: let the compositor do this bit
+	if (backend->activation_v1 && backend->activation_token) {
+		xdg_activation_v1_activate(backend->activation_v1,
+				backend->activation_token, output->surface);
+	}
+
 	// Start the rendering loop by requesting the compositor to render a frame
 	wlr_output_schedule_frame(wlr_output);
 
diff --git a/include/backend/wayland.h b/include/backend/wayland.h
index ac151267..3235494d 100644
--- a/include/backend/wayland.h
+++ b/include/backend/wayland.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ struct wlr_wl_backend {
 	size_t requested_outputs;
 	size_t last_output_num;
 	struct wl_listener local_display_destroy;
+	char *activation_token;
 
 	/* remote state */
 	struct wl_display *remote_display;
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ struct wlr_wl_backend {
 	struct wlr_drm_format_set shm_formats;
 	struct wlr_drm_format_set linux_dmabuf_v1_formats;
 	struct wl_drm *legacy_drm;
+	struct xdg_activation_v1 *activation_v1;
 	char *drm_render_name;
 };