diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 7ba12bd9..5c86a21e 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -813,12 +813,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         if (!output) {
             ELOG("ERROR: No screen at (%d, %d), starting on the first screen\n",
                  pointerreply->root_x, pointerreply->root_y);
-            output = get_first_output();
         }
-
-        con_activate(con_descend_focused(output_get_content(output->con)));
-        free(pointerreply);
     }
+    if (!output) {
+        output = get_first_output();
+    }
+    con_activate(con_descend_focused(output_get_content(output->con)));
+    free(pointerreply);
 
     tree_render();
 
diff --git a/src/randr.c b/src/randr.c
index fb127ab5..9a0bf5cc 100644
--- a/src/randr.c
+++ b/src/randr.c
@@ -70,11 +70,22 @@ Output *get_output_by_name(const char *name, const bool require_active) {
  *
  */
 Output *get_first_output(void) {
-    Output *output;
+    Output *output, *result = NULL;
 
-    TAILQ_FOREACH(output, &outputs, outputs)
-    if (output->active)
-        return output;
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(output, &outputs, outputs) {
+        if (output->active) {
+            if (output->primary) {
+                return output;
+            }
+            if (!result) {
+                result = output;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (result) {
+        return result;
+    }
 
     die("No usable outputs available.\n");
 }