diff --git a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents.c b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents.c
index 3d85a5e282..b19bfdacd0 100644
--- a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents.c
+++ b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents.c
@@ -64,15 +64,6 @@
 #include "../../events/imKStoUCS.h"
 #include "../../events/SDL_keysym_to_scancode_c.h"
 
-/* Clamp the wl_seat version on older versions of libwayland. */
-#if SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 22, 0)
-#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 9
-#elif SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 21, 0)
-#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 8
-#else
-#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 5
-#endif
-
 /* Weston uses a ratio of 10 units per scroll tick */
 #define WAYLAND_WHEEL_AXIS_UNIT 10
 
@@ -2305,10 +2296,15 @@ static const struct zwp_text_input_v3_listener text_input_listener = {
     text_input_done
 };
 
-static void Wayland_create_data_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
+void Wayland_create_data_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
 {
     SDL_WaylandDataDevice *data_device = NULL;
 
+    if (!d->input->seat) {
+        /* No seat yet, will be initialized later. */
+        return;
+    }
+
     data_device = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(*data_device));
     if (!data_device) {
         return;
@@ -2328,10 +2324,15 @@ static void Wayland_create_data_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
     }
 }
 
-static void Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
+void Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
 {
     SDL_WaylandPrimarySelectionDevice *primary_selection_device = NULL;
 
+    if (!d->input->seat) {
+        /* No seat yet, will be initialized later. */
+        return;
+    }
+
     primary_selection_device = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(*primary_selection_device));
     if (!primary_selection_device) {
         return;
@@ -2352,10 +2353,15 @@ static void Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(SDL_VideoData *d)
     }
 }
 
-static void Wayland_create_text_input(SDL_VideoData *d)
+void Wayland_create_text_input(SDL_VideoData *d)
 {
     SDL_WaylandTextInput *text_input = NULL;
 
+    if (!d->input->seat) {
+        /* No seat yet, will be initialized later. */
+        return;
+    }
+
     text_input = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(*text_input));
     if (!text_input) {
         return;
@@ -2374,33 +2380,6 @@ static void Wayland_create_text_input(SDL_VideoData *d)
     }
 }
 
-void Wayland_add_data_device_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version)
-{
-    d->data_device_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &wl_data_device_manager_interface, SDL_min(3, version));
-
-    if (d->input) {
-        Wayland_create_data_device(d);
-    }
-}
-
-void Wayland_add_primary_selection_device_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version)
-{
-    d->primary_selection_device_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zwp_primary_selection_device_manager_v1_interface, 1);
-
-    if (d->input) {
-        Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(d);
-    }
-}
-
-void Wayland_add_text_input_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version)
-{
-    d->text_input_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zwp_text_input_manager_v3_interface, 1);
-
-    if (d->input) {
-        Wayland_create_text_input(d);
-    }
-}
-
 static SDL_PenID Wayland_get_penid(void *data, struct zwp_tablet_tool_v2 *tool)
 {
     struct SDL_WaylandTool *sdltool = data;
@@ -2939,7 +2918,7 @@ void Wayland_input_add_tablet(struct SDL_WaylandInput *input, struct SDL_Wayland
     struct SDL_WaylandTabletInput *tablet_input;
     static Uint32 num_tablets = 0;
 
-    if (!tablet_manager || !input || !input->seat) {
+    if (!tablet_manager || !input->seat) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2974,24 +2953,12 @@ void Wayland_input_destroy_tablet(struct SDL_WaylandInput *input)
     input->tablet = NULL;
 }
 
-void Wayland_display_add_input(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version)
+void Wayland_input_initialize_seat(SDL_VideoData *d)
 {
-    struct SDL_WaylandInput *input;
-
-    input = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(*input));
-    if (!input) {
-        return;
-    }
+    struct SDL_WaylandInput *input = d->input;
 
     WAYLAND_wl_list_init(&touch_points);
 
-    input->display = d;
-    input->seat = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &wl_seat_interface, SDL_min(SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION, version));
-    input->sx_w = wl_fixed_from_int(0);
-    input->sy_w = wl_fixed_from_int(0);
-    input->xkb.current_group = XKB_GROUP_INVALID;
-    d->input = input;
-
     if (d->data_device_manager) {
         Wayland_create_data_device(d);
     }
@@ -3016,10 +2983,6 @@ void Wayland_display_destroy_input(SDL_VideoData *d)
 {
     struct SDL_WaylandInput *input = d->input;
 
-    if (!input) {
-        return;
-    }
-
     if (input->keyboard_timestamps) {
         zwp_input_timestamps_v1_destroy(input->keyboard_timestamps);
     }
diff --git a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents_c.h b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents_c.h
index 5bd061a25c..af317811f3 100644
--- a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents_c.h
+++ b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandevents_c.h
@@ -189,11 +189,11 @@ extern void Wayland_PumpEvents(SDL_VideoDevice *_this);
 extern void Wayland_SendWakeupEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, SDL_Window *window);
 extern int Wayland_WaitEventTimeout(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, Sint64 timeoutNS);
 
-extern void Wayland_add_data_device_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version);
-extern void Wayland_add_primary_selection_device_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version);
-extern void Wayland_add_text_input_manager(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version);
+extern void Wayland_create_data_device(SDL_VideoData *d);
+extern void Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(SDL_VideoData *d);
+extern void Wayland_create_text_input(SDL_VideoData *d);
 
-extern void Wayland_display_add_input(SDL_VideoData *d, uint32_t id, uint32_t version);
+extern void Wayland_input_initialize_seat(SDL_VideoData *d);
 extern void Wayland_display_destroy_input(SDL_VideoData *d);
 
 extern int Wayland_input_lock_pointer(struct SDL_WaylandInput *input);
diff --git a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandvideo.c b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandvideo.c
index 728d7b9879..efd1be7296 100644
--- a/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandvideo.c
+++ b/src/video/wayland/SDL_waylandvideo.c
@@ -63,12 +63,21 @@
 
 #define WAYLANDVID_DRIVER_NAME "wayland"
 
+/* Clamp certain core protocol versions on older versions of libwayland. */
 #if SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 22, 0)
 #define SDL_WL_COMPOSITOR_VERSION 6
 #else
 #define SDL_WL_COMPOSITOR_VERSION 4
 #endif
 
+#if SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 22, 0)
+#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 9
+#elif SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 21, 0)
+#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 8
+#else
+#define SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION 5
+#endif
+
 #if SDL_WAYLAND_CHECK_VERSION(1, 20, 0)
 #define SDL_WL_OUTPUT_VERSION 4
 #else
@@ -158,6 +167,7 @@ static SDL_VideoDevice *Wayland_CreateDevice(void)
 {
     SDL_VideoDevice *device;
     SDL_VideoData *data;
+    struct SDL_WaylandInput *input;
     struct wl_display *display = SDL_GetProperty(SDL_GetGlobalProperties(),
                                                  SDL_PROPERTY_GLOBAL_VIDEO_WAYLAND_WL_DISPLAY_POINTER, NULL);
     SDL_bool display_is_external = !!display;
@@ -189,8 +199,22 @@ static SDL_VideoDevice *Wayland_CreateDevice(void)
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    input = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(*input));
+    if (!input) {
+        SDL_free(data);
+        WAYLAND_wl_display_disconnect(display);
+        SDL_WAYLAND_UnloadSymbols();
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    input->display = data;
+    input->sx_w = wl_fixed_from_int(0);
+    input->sy_w = wl_fixed_from_int(0);
+    input->xkb.current_group = XKB_GROUP_INVALID;
+
     data->initializing = SDL_TRUE;
     data->display = display;
+    data->input = input;
     data->display_externally_owned = display_is_external;
     WAYLAND_wl_list_init(&data->output_list);
     WAYLAND_wl_list_init(&external_window_list);
@@ -786,7 +810,8 @@ static void display_handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry, uint
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "wl_output") == 0) {
         Wayland_add_display(d, id, SDL_min(version, SDL_WL_OUTPUT_VERSION));
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "wl_seat") == 0) {
-        Wayland_display_add_input(d, id, version);
+        d->input->seat = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &wl_seat_interface, SDL_min(SDL_WL_SEAT_VERSION, version));
+        Wayland_input_initialize_seat(d);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "xdg_wm_base") == 0) {
         d->shell.xdg = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &xdg_wm_base_interface, SDL_min(version, 6));
         xdg_wm_base_add_listener(d->shell.xdg, &shell_listener_xdg, NULL);
@@ -803,18 +828,19 @@ static void display_handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry, uint
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "xdg_activation_v1") == 0) {
         d->activation_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &xdg_activation_v1_interface, 1);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "zwp_text_input_manager_v3") == 0) {
-        Wayland_add_text_input_manager(d, id, version);
+        d->text_input_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zwp_text_input_manager_v3_interface, 1);
+        Wayland_create_text_input(d);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "wl_data_device_manager") == 0) {
-        Wayland_add_data_device_manager(d, id, version);
+        d->data_device_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &wl_data_device_manager_interface, SDL_min(3, version));
+        Wayland_create_data_device(d);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "zwp_primary_selection_device_manager_v1") == 0) {
-        Wayland_add_primary_selection_device_manager(d, id, version);
+        d->primary_selection_device_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zwp_primary_selection_device_manager_v1_interface, 1);
+        Wayland_create_primary_selection_device(d);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "zxdg_decoration_manager_v1") == 0) {
         d->decoration_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zxdg_decoration_manager_v1_interface, 1);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "zwp_tablet_manager_v2") == 0) {
         d->tablet_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zwp_tablet_manager_v2_interface, 1);
-        if (d->input) {
-            Wayland_input_add_tablet(d->input, d->tablet_manager);
-        }
+        Wayland_input_add_tablet(d->input, d->tablet_manager);
     } else if (SDL_strcmp(interface, "zxdg_output_manager_v1") == 0) {
         version = SDL_min(version, 3); /* Versions 1 through 3 are supported. */
         d->xdg_output_manager = wl_registry_bind(d->registry, id, &zxdg_output_manager_v1_interface, version);