[Post-Install] XWayland keeps crashing

[steve7233]

I don't know why. The only error message i see is that xwayland has crashed. It seems related to the steam for linux client. Fresh install of Kubuntu and the non flat pak nor snapp version of steam from the Ubuntu repo.

[Snowhog]

Have you tried running with Plasma (X11) instead?

[steve7233]

Have you tried running with Plasma (X11) instead?

I will try that. Are there any known xwayland bugs in Kubuntu 25.10?

EDIT: How do I do that? I thought it was at the login screen, but there is no option to switch the session type.

Edit 2: No option here either:

[Snowhog]

To install the Plasma X11 session in Kubuntu 25.10, which no longer includes it by default, open a terminal and run:

sudo apt install plasma-session-x11

then select the "Plasma (X11)" option from the session menu on the SDDM login screen before logging in.

[steve7233]

To install the Plasma X11 session in Kubuntu 25.10, which no longer includes it by default, open a terminal and run:

sudo apt install plasma-session-x11

then select the "Plasma (X11)" option from the session menu on the SDDM login screen before logging in.

steve7233@steven-pc:~$ sudo apt update
[sudo: authenticate] Password:
Hit:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing InRelease
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates InRelease [136 kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-backports InRelease [133 kB]
Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security InRelease [136 kB]
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/main amd64 Packages [234 kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/main amd64 Components [36.9 kB]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/restricted amd64 Components [212 B]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/universe amd64 Packages [138 kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/universe i386 Packages [73.6 kB]
Get:10 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/universe amd64 Components [38.5 kB]
Get:11 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/multiverse amd64 Components [212 B]
Get:12 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-backports/main amd64 Components [212 B]
Get:13 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-backports/restricted amd64 Components [216 B]
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-backports/universe amd64 Components [216 B]
Get:15 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-backports/multiverse amd64 Components [216 B]
Get:16 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/main amd64 Components [448 B]
Get:17 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/restricted amd64 Components [212 B]
Get:18 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/universe amd64 Components [7,100 B]
Get:19 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/multiverse amd64 Components [212 B]
Fetched 934 kB in 1s (692 kB/s)
All packages are up to date.
steve7233@steven-pc:~$ sudo apt install plasma=session-x11
Error: Unable to locate package plasma
steve7233@steven-pc:~$

Edit: I got it. My monitor has dead pixels, so I couldn't see that I accidentally typed an = instead of a -.

[claydoh]

One common fix for the Steam client crashing (in either X11 or Wayland, but seems more common in Wayland) is to try disabling GPU acceleration for the Steam UI, though I *think* this is not enabled by default. If it is for you, it might be worth disabling to see if it helps.

You *might* consider trying the Stam Client beta option, as this can have upcoming fixes, so it might help as well. It is easy enough to switch back and forth.



Being installed as a deb from the Ubuntu repos rather than a deb downloaded from Steam itself *shouldn't* matter, as the client self-updates no matter which one is used once installed.

[steve7233]

Switching the sessions seems to have helped, I guess Valve to make Steam for Linux more x11-wayland more compatible.

[claydoh]

Switching the sessions seems to have helped, I guess Valve to make Steam for Linux more x11-wayland more compatible.

They will, likely, once the Chromium CEF that the Steam Client uses supports it. Which may happen in 2026. It is in-progress, which means it is actively being worked on.

It is sort of funny, considering Valve makes its own Wayland compositor (Gamescope) for the Steam Deck


fwiw, I have never ever seen this sort opf problem myself, and I have been 100% wayland-only for at least four years now, across 4 dGPUS (AMD and Intel Arc), and a few iGPUS (also AMD/Intel). Can't say if Nvidia is more prone to this or not for sure, but it does not appear to be the case.