diff --git a/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openvr/mod.rs b/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openvr/mod.rs
index 3ee98b6b..03e8860c 100644
--- a/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openvr/mod.rs
+++ b/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openvr/mod.rs
@@ -335,7 +335,9 @@ pub fn openvr_run(show_by_default: bool, headless: bool) -> Result<(), BackendEr
             .for_each(|o| o.after_render(universe.clone(), &mut overlay_mgr, &app.gfx));
 
         #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-        app.wayvr.borrow_mut().data.tick_finish()?;
+        if let Some(wayland_server) = app.wayland_server.as_ref() {
+            wayland_server.borrow_mut().data.tick_finish()?;
+        }
 
         // chaperone
     } // main_loop
diff --git a/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openxr/mod.rs b/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openxr/mod.rs
index ac829aa4..2b2dadbe 100644
--- a/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openxr/mod.rs
+++ b/wlx-overlay-s/src/backend/openxr/mod.rs
@@ -459,7 +459,9 @@ pub fn openxr_run(show_by_default: bool, headless: bool) -> Result<(), BackendEr
         // End layer composition
 
         #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-        app.wayvr.borrow_mut().data.tick_finish()?;
+        if let Some(wayland_server) = app.wayland_server.as_ref() {
+            wayland_server.borrow_mut().data.tick_finish()?;
+        }
 
         // Begin layer submit
         layers.sort_by(|a, b| b.0.total_cmp(&a.0));
diff --git a/wlx-overlay-s/src/ipc/events.rs b/wlx-overlay-s/src/ipc/events.rs
index 0273ecf2..b3032442 100644
--- a/wlx-overlay-s/src/ipc/events.rs
+++ b/wlx-overlay-s/src/ipc/events.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc};
 
-use crate::ipc::ipc_server;
 use wayvr_ipc::packet_server;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
@@ -112,18 +111,17 @@ pub fn tick_events<O>(
 where
     O: Default,
 {
-    #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-    let r_wayvr = app.wayvr.clone();
-    #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-    let mut wayvr = r_wayvr.borrow_mut();
+    let wayland_server = app.wayland_server.clone();
 
     while let Some(signal) = app.wayvr_signals.read() {
         match signal {
             #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
             WayVRSignal::DisplayVisibility(display_handle, visible) => {
-                if let Some(overlay_id) = wayvr.display_handle_map.get(&display_handle) {
+                if let Some(mut wayland_server) = wayland_server.as_ref().map(|r| r.borrow_mut())
+                    && let Some(overlay_id) = wayland_server.display_handle_map.get(&display_handle)
+                {
                     let overlay_id = *overlay_id;
-                    wayvr
+                    wayland_server
                         .data
                         .state
                         .set_display_visible(display_handle, visible);
@@ -144,7 +142,12 @@ where
             }
             #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
             WayVRSignal::DisplayWindowLayout(display_handle, layout) => {
-                wayvr.data.state.set_display_layout(display_handle, layout);
+                if let Some(mut wayland_server) = wayland_server.as_ref().map(|r| r.borrow_mut()) {
+                    wayland_server
+                        .data
+                        .state
+                        .set_display_layout(display_handle, layout);
+                }
             }
             #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
             WayVRSignal::BroadcastStateChanged(packet) => {
@@ -153,7 +156,9 @@ where
             }
             #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
             WayVRSignal::Haptics(haptics) => {
-                wayvr.pending_haptics = Some(haptics);
+                if let Some(mut wayland_server) = wayland_server.as_ref().map(|r| r.borrow_mut()) {
+                    wayland_server.pending_haptics = Some(haptics);
+                }
             }
             WayVRSignal::DropOverlay(overlay_id) => {
                 app.tasks
@@ -170,8 +175,16 @@ where
 
     #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
     {
-        let tick_tasks = wayvr.data.tick_events(app)?;
-        process_tick_tasks(app, tick_tasks, &r_wayvr)?;
+        if let Some(wayland_server) = wayland_server {
+            let tick_tasks = wayland_server.borrow_mut().data.tick_events(app)?;
+            process_tick_tasks(app, tick_tasks, &wayland_server)?;
+
+            overlays::wayvr::create_queued_displays(
+                app,
+                &mut wayland_server.borrow_mut(),
+                overlays,
+            )?;
+        }
     }
 
     #[cfg(not(feature = "wayvr"))]
@@ -182,8 +195,5 @@ where
         });
     }
 
-    #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-    overlays::wayvr::create_queued_displays(app, &mut wayvr, overlays)?;
-
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/wlx-overlay-s/src/overlays/wayvr.rs b/wlx-overlay-s/src/overlays/wayvr.rs
index 3590ba6b..53557f16 100644
--- a/wlx-overlay-s/src/overlays/wayvr.rs
+++ b/wlx-overlay-s/src/overlays/wayvr.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use vulkano::{
     format::Format,
     image::{Image, ImageTiling, SubresourceLayout, view::ImageView},
 };
-use wayvr_ipc::packet_server::{self, PacketServer, WvrStateChanged};
+use wayvr_ipc::packet_server::{PacketServer, WvrStateChanged};
 use wgui::gfx::{
     WGfx,
     pass::WGfxPass,
@@ -658,11 +658,15 @@ pub fn create_wayvr_display_overlay(
     display_scale: f32,
     name: &str,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<OverlayWindowConfig> {
-    let wayvr = app.wayvr.clone();
+    let wayland_server = app
+        .wayland_server
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|r| r.clone())
+        .context("wayland_server unavailable")?;
 
     let backend = Box::new(WayVRBackend::new(
         app,
-        wayvr,
+        wayland_server,
         display_handle,
         [display_width, display_height],
     )?);
@@ -719,7 +723,11 @@ fn action_app_click<O>(
 where
     O: Default,
 {
-    let wayvr = app.wayvr.clone();
+    let wayland_server = app
+        .wayland_server
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|r| r.clone())
+        .context("wayland_server unavailable")?;
 
     let catalog = app
         .session
@@ -729,7 +737,7 @@ where
         .clone();
 
     if let Some(app_entry) = catalog.get_app(app_name) {
-        let mut wayvr = wayvr.borrow_mut();
+        let mut wayvr = wayland_server.borrow_mut();
 
         let disp_handle = get_or_create_display_by_name(
             app,
@@ -783,8 +791,11 @@ pub fn action_display_click<O>(
 where
     O: Default,
 {
-    let wayvr = app.wayvr.clone();
-    let mut wayvr = wayvr.borrow_mut();
+    let wayland_server = app
+        .wayland_server
+        .clone()
+        .context("wayland_server unavailable")?;
+    let mut wayvr = wayland_server.borrow_mut();
 
     let Some(handle) = WayVR::get_display_by_name(&wayvr.data.state.displays, display_name) else {
         return Ok(());
@@ -843,10 +854,10 @@ pub fn wayvr_action<O>(
             }
         }
         WayVRAction::ToggleDashboard => {
-            let wayvr = app.wayvr.clone();
-            let mut wayvr = wayvr.borrow_mut();
-
-            if let Err(e) = toggle_dashboard::<O>(app, overlays, &mut wayvr) {
+            if let Some(wayland_server) = app.wayland_server.as_ref().map(|r| r.clone())
+                && let Err(e) =
+                    toggle_dashboard::<O>(app, overlays, &mut wayland_server.borrow_mut())
+            {
                 error_toast(app, "toggle_dashboard failed", e);
             }
         }
diff --git a/wlx-overlay-s/src/state.rs b/wlx-overlay-s/src/state.rs
index e5453cb8..c25f433a 100644
--- a/wlx-overlay-s/src/state.rs
+++ b/wlx-overlay-s/src/state.rs
@@ -60,10 +60,8 @@ pub struct AppState {
     #[cfg(feature = "osc")]
     pub osc_sender: Option<OscSender>,
 
-    // wayland server
-    // TODO: rename to wayland_server?
     #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-    pub wayvr: Rc<RefCell<WayVRData>>,
+    pub wayland_server: Option<Rc<RefCell<WayVRData>>>,
 }
 
 #[allow(unused_mut)]
@@ -80,15 +78,18 @@ impl AppState {
         let wayvr_signals = SyncEventQueue::new();
 
         #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-        let wayvr =
-            session
-                .wayvr_config
-                .post_load(&session.config, &mut tasks, wayvr_signals.clone())?;
+        let wayland_server = session
+            .wayvr_config
+            .post_load(&session.config, &mut tasks, wayvr_signals.clone())
+            .inspect_err(|e| log::error!("Could not initialize wayland server: {e:?}"))
+            .ok();
 
         let mut hid_provider = HidWrapper::new();
 
         #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-        hid_provider.set_wayvr(wayvr.clone());
+        if let Some(wayland_server) = wayland_server.as_ref() {
+            hid_provider.set_wayvr(wayland_server.clone());
+        }
 
         #[cfg(feature = "osc")]
         let osc_sender = crate::subsystem::osc::OscSender::new(session.config.osc_out_port).ok();
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ impl AppState {
             osc_sender,
 
             #[cfg(feature = "wayvr")]
-            wayvr,
+            wayland_server,
         })
     }