diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2b397181f..a20fe31b0 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -794,6 +794,27 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     }
     xcb_ungrab_server(conn);
 
+    if (autostart) {
+        LOG("This is not an in-place restart, copying root window contents to a pixmap\n");
+        xcb_screen_t *root = xcb_aux_get_screen(conn, conn_screen);
+        uint16_t width = root->width_in_pixels;
+        uint16_t height = root->height_in_pixels;
+        xcb_pixmap_t pixmap = xcb_generate_id(conn);
+        xcb_gcontext_t gc = xcb_generate_id(conn);
+
+        xcb_create_pixmap(conn, root->root_depth, pixmap, root->root, width, height);
+
+        xcb_create_gc(conn, gc, root->root,
+            XCB_GC_FUNCTION | XCB_GC_PLANE_MASK | XCB_GC_FILL_STYLE | XCB_GC_SUBWINDOW_MODE,
+            (uint32_t[]){ XCB_GX_COPY, ~0, XCB_FILL_STYLE_SOLID, XCB_SUBWINDOW_MODE_INCLUDE_INFERIORS });
+
+        xcb_copy_area(conn, root->root, pixmap, gc, 0, 0, 0, 0, width, height);
+        xcb_change_window_attributes_checked(conn, root->root, XCB_CW_BACK_PIXMAP, (uint32_t[]){ pixmap });
+        xcb_flush(conn);
+        xcb_free_gc(conn, gc);
+        xcb_free_pixmap(conn, pixmap);
+    }
+
     struct sigaction action;
 
     action.sa_sigaction = handle_signal;