diff --git a/src/mconnect/main.vala b/src/mconnect/main.vala
index 039c032..b9dc643 100644
--- a/src/mconnect/main.vala
+++ b/src/mconnect/main.vala
@@ -21,5 +21,8 @@ public static int main(string[] args)
 {
 	var app = new Mconn.Application();
 
+	// needed for mousepad protocol handler
+	Gdk.init(ref args);
+
 	return app.run(args);
 }
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