diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index afdfe9d..23c6964 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -47,11 +47,15 @@ erealloc(void *p, ulong n)
 void
 threadmain(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	char *display;
+	char *display, *scale;
 
 	if(argc != 2)
 		usage();
 
+	/* Whichever popup runs is sized from it, and setfont reads Fontsz. */
+	scale = getenv("GDK_SCALE");
+	if(scale != nil && atoi(scale) > 1)
+		popupscale = min(atoi(scale), 4);
 	drawc = chancreate(sizeof(Drawcmd), 4);
 	keyc = chancreate(sizeof(Keyreq), 0);
 	langinit(argv[1]);
diff --git a/win.c b/win.c
index 9bc24a7..94aab0d 100644
--- a/win.c
+++ b/win.c
@@ -197,11 +197,7 @@ wininit(void)
 	xcb_randr_query_version_cookie_t rc;
 	xcb_randr_query_version_reply_t *rr;
 	const xcb_query_extension_reply_t *rext;
-	char *scale;
 
-	scale = getenv("GDK_SCALE");
-	if(scale != nil && atoi(scale) > 1)
-		popupscale = min(atoi(scale), 4);
 	conn = xcb_connect(nil, &n);
 	if(xcb_connection_has_error(conn)){
 		fprint(2, "strans: popup disabled: cannot connect to X display\n");
diff --git a/wl.c b/wl.c
index 9b1c091..569c8da 100644
--- a/wl.c
+++ b/wl.c
@@ -647,7 +647,6 @@ void
 wlthread(void*)
 {
 	struct pollfd pfd;
-	char *scale;
 	int n;
 
 	threadsetname("wl");
@@ -657,11 +656,6 @@ wlthread(void*)
 		wllog("cannot make an xkb context");
 		return;
 	}
-	/* drawthread no longer runs, so the scale comes first: setfont
-	 * reads Fontsz. */
-	scale = getenv("GDK_SCALE");
-	if(scale != nil && atoi(scale) > 1)
-		popupscale = min(atoi(scale), 4);
 	textinit();
 	im = zwp_input_method_manager_v2_get_input_method(immgr, seat);
 	zwp_input_method_v2_add_listener(im, &imlisten, nil);