diff --git a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
index 67384f13bc..25ed4d4f6d 100644
--- a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
@@ -1206,10 +1206,13 @@ def do_parse_screen_info(self, ss):
         maxw, maxh = self.get_max_screen_size()
         w = min(w, maxw)
         h = min(h, maxh)
+        self.set_desktop_geometry_attributes(w, h)
+        return w, h
+
+    def set_desktop_geometry_attributes(self, w, h):
         self.calculate_desktops()
         self.calculate_workarea(w, h)
         self.set_desktop_geometry(w, h)
-        return w, h
 
     def parse_hello_ui_clipboard(self, ss, c):
         #take the clipboard if no-one else has it yet:
@@ -2141,7 +2144,7 @@ def _screen_size_changed(self, screen):
         #randr has resized the screen, tell the client (if it supports it)
         w, h = screen.get_width(), screen.get_height()
         screenlog("new screen dimensions: %ix%i", w, h)
-        self.calculate_workarea(w, h)
+        self.set_desktop_geometry_attributes(w, h)
         self.idle_add(self.send_updated_screen_size)
 
     def get_root_window_size(self):
diff --git a/src/xpra/x11/desktop_server.py b/src/xpra/x11/desktop_server.py
index 33fdcd185a..510b3d932e 100644
--- a/src/xpra/x11/desktop_server.py
+++ b/src/xpra/x11/desktop_server.py
@@ -185,6 +185,11 @@ def print_screen_info(self):
         log_screen_sizes(root_w, root_h, sss)
 
 
+    def set_desktop_geometry_attributes(self, w, h):
+        #geometry is not synced with the client's for desktop servers
+        pass
+
+
     def get_server_mode(self):
         return "X11 desktop"