diff --git a/src/core/window.c b/src/core/window.c
index 4edee7b75..3739518e1 100644
--- a/src/core/window.c
+++ b/src/core/window.c
@@ -1100,25 +1100,30 @@ _meta_window_shared_new (MetaDisplay         *display,
   /* avoid tons of stack updates */
   meta_stack_freeze (window->display->stack);
 
-  window->rect.x = attrs->x;
-  window->rect.y = attrs->y;
-  window->rect.width = attrs->width;
-  window->rect.height = attrs->height;
-
-  /* size_hints are the "request" */
-  window->size_hints.x = attrs->x;
-  window->size_hints.y = attrs->y;
-  window->size_hints.width = attrs->width;
-  window->size_hints.height = attrs->height;
-  /* initialize the remaining size_hints as if size_hints.flags were zero */
-  meta_set_normal_hints (window, NULL);
-
-  /* And this is our unmaximized size */
-  window->saved_rect = window->rect;
-  window->unconstrained_rect = window->rect;
-
-  window->depth = attrs->depth;
-  window->xvisual = attrs->visual;
+  if (attrs->width != 1 &&
+      attrs->height != 1)
+    {
+      window->rect.x = attrs->x;
+      window->rect.y = attrs->y;
+      window->rect.width = attrs->width;
+      window->rect.height = attrs->height;
+
+      /* size_hints are the "request" */
+      window->size_hints.x = attrs->x;
+      window->size_hints.y = attrs->y;
+      window->size_hints.width = attrs->width;
+      window->size_hints.height = attrs->height;
+
+      /* initialize the remaining size_hints as if size_hints.flags were zero */
+      meta_set_normal_hints (window, NULL);
+
+      /* And this is our unmaximized size */
+      window->saved_rect = window->rect;
+      window->unconstrained_rect = window->rect;
+
+      window->depth = attrs->depth;
+      window->xvisual = attrs->visual;
+    }
 
   window->title = NULL;
   window->icon = NULL;
diff --git a/src/x11/window-x11.c b/src/x11/window-x11.c
index 4c3d4054b..28460ff55 100644
--- a/src/x11/window-x11.c
+++ b/src/x11/window-x11.c
@@ -3817,10 +3817,14 @@ meta_window_x11_configure_notify (MetaWindow      *window,
   g_assert (window->override_redirect);
   g_assert (window->frame == NULL);
 
-  window->rect.x = event->x;
-  window->rect.y = event->y;
-  window->rect.width = event->width;
-  window->rect.height = event->height;
+  if (event->width != 1 &&
+      event->height != 1)
+    {
+      window->rect.x = event->x;
+      window->rect.y = event->y;
+      window->rect.width = event->width;
+      window->rect.height = event->height;
+    }
 
   priv->client_rect = window->rect;
   window->buffer_rect = window->rect;