While trying to follow the [ArchWiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xfce#Use_a_different_window_manager) recommendations to set a new default window manager on an Xfce detup, it resulted into an unexpected outcome. I have double checked the results on Fedora Xfce with Bspwm, Qtile, and Openbox, but I focused on a default and up-to-date Endeavouros Xfce install and default Bspwm configuration to perform most of the testing below. The first thing I did was running the following comand: ``` xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client0_Command -t string -sa bspwm ``` It worked, but my VM startup time went from 5 to 40 seconds after login authentication. I then found out about the `--disable-wm-check` flag, and tried to modify the subsequent `ClientN_Command` properties to include that flag. ``` xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client0_Command -t string -sa bspwm xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client1_Command -t string -s xfsettingsd -t string -s --disable-wm-check xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client2_Command -t string -s xfce4-panel -t string -s --disable-wm-check xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client4_Command -t string -s xfdesktop -t string -s --disable-wm-check ``` After checking the settings editor, as well as the underlying `xfce4-session.xml` file, and taking the `Thunar --daemon` command as a reference as to how commands passed as arrays should look, I can say with some level of confidence that everything looked right at that point. However, there was no decrease in startup time, and I was still hovering around 40 seconds start up time. I ran many different tests to make sure I had the commands right, and seeked help on the Xfce forum where I received the advice to open a bug report here. Following [ToZ](https://forum.xfce.org/profile.php?id=18944) recommendations there, I checked logs generated after adding the `XFSM_VERBOSE=1` variable to my environment, and although I could not make much out of it, I got the confirmation that the `--disable-wm-check` was not ignored, and appeared to be run behind the scenes. I prefer to keep this post short, and leave a [link](https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=78137#p78137) for reference. Finally, I tried removing all startup commands from the `xfce4-session` channel, and rely on my window manager 'autostart' script instead. In that case, the `bspwmrc` configuration file. From the terminal: ``` xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client0_Command -t string -sa bspwm xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client1_Command -t string -sa "" xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client2_Command -t string -sa "" xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client3_Command -t string -sa "" xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client4_Command -t string -sa "" ``` Bspwmrc file: ``` xfsettingsd --disable-wm-check & xfce4-panel --disable-wm-check & Thunar --daemon & xfdesktop --disable-wm-check & ``` This seems to work exactly as expected for the little testing I have done and brought the startup time back to the 5 seconds initial baseline. All of which leads me to believe that the `--disable-wm-check` flag is not working when set using `xfconf` directly. Please, let me know if you need any additional info. Thank you for your time.