diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 53e77420..01c32e0b 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ struct sway_output *all_output_by_name_or_id(const char *name_or_id);
 
 void output_sort_workspaces(struct sway_output *output);
 
-void output_enable(struct sway_output *output);
+void output_configure(struct sway_output *output);
 
 void output_disable(struct sway_output *output);
 
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index de566869..40f86b6e 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ bool apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 		return wlr_output_commit(wlr_output);
 	}
 
+	bool was_enabled = output->enabled;
+	output->enabled = true;
+
 	if (!oc || oc->dpms_state != DPMS_OFF) {
 		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Turning on output %s", wlr_output->name);
 		wlr_output_enable(wlr_output, true);
@@ -393,6 +396,7 @@ bool apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 		// output disabled for now and try again when the output gets the mode
 		// we asked for.
 		sway_log(SWAY_ERROR, "Failed to modeset output %s", wlr_output->name);
+		output->enabled = was_enabled;
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -432,8 +436,8 @@ bool apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 	output->width = output_box->width;
 	output->height = output_box->height;
 
-	if ((!oc || oc->enabled) && !output->enabled) {
-		output_enable(output);
+	if ((!oc || oc->enabled) && !output->configured) {
+		output_configure(output);
 	}
 
 	if (oc && oc->dpms_state == DPMS_OFF) {
diff --git a/sway/tree/output.c b/sway/tree/output.c
index 6f4146cd..c96c3187 100644
--- a/sway/tree/output.c
+++ b/sway/tree/output.c
@@ -102,20 +102,19 @@ struct sway_output *output_create(struct wlr_output *wlr_output) {
 	output->workspaces = create_list();
 	output->current.workspaces = create_list();
 
-	return output;
-}
-
-void output_enable(struct sway_output *output) {
-	if (!sway_assert(!output->enabled, "output is already enabled")) {
-		return;
-	}
-	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
 	size_t len = sizeof(output->layers) / sizeof(output->layers[0]);
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
 		wl_list_init(&output->layers[i]);
 	}
 
-	output->enabled = true;
+	return output;
+}
+
+void output_configure(struct sway_output *output) {
+	if (!sway_assert(!output->configured, "output is already configured")) {
+		return;
+	}
+	struct wlr_output *wlr_output = output->wlr_output;
 	output->configured = true;
 	list_add(root->outputs, output);