diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index c65d9353..ae6e6750 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -424,6 +424,12 @@ enum alignment {
 	ALIGN_RIGHT
 };
 
+enum xwayland_mode {
+	XWAYLAND_MODE_DISABLED,
+	XWAYLAND_MODE_LAZY,
+	XWAYLAND_MODE_IMMEADIATE
+};
+
 /**
  * The configuration struct. The result of loading a config file.
  */
@@ -464,7 +470,7 @@ struct sway_config {
 	size_t urgent_timeout;
 	enum sway_fowa focus_on_window_activation;
 	enum sway_popup_during_fullscreen popup_during_fullscreen;
-	bool xwayland;
+	enum xwayland_mode xwayland;
 
 	// swaybg
 	char *swaybg_command;
diff --git a/sway/commands/xwayland.c b/sway/commands/xwayland.c
index 62293276..38559f55 100644
--- a/sway/commands/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/commands/xwayland.c
@@ -11,7 +11,15 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_xwayland(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_XWAYLAND
-	bool xwayland = parse_boolean(argv[0], true);
+	enum xwayland_mode xwayland;
+	if (strcmp(argv[0], "force") == 0) {
+		xwayland = XWAYLAND_MODE_IMMEADIATE;
+	} else if (parse_boolean(argv[0], true)) {
+		xwayland = XWAYLAND_MODE_LAZY;
+	} else {
+		xwayland = XWAYLAND_MODE_DISABLED;
+	}
+
 	if (config->reloading && config->xwayland != xwayland) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE,
 				"xwayland can only be enabled/disabled at launch");
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 74080898..c1b0efa0 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
 	config->font_height = 17; // height of monospace 10
 	config->urgent_timeout = 500;
 	config->popup_during_fullscreen = POPUP_SMART;
-	config->xwayland = true;
+	config->xwayland = XWAYLAND_MODE_LAZY;
 
 	config->titlebar_border_thickness = 1;
 	config->titlebar_h_padding = 5;
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index 6fe2a919..aee2cc87 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -167,10 +167,12 @@ void server_fini(struct sway_server *server) {
 
 bool server_start(struct sway_server *server) {
 #if HAVE_XWAYLAND
-	if (config->xwayland) {
-		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Initializing Xwayland");
+	if (config->xwayland != XWAYLAND_MODE_DISABLED) {
+		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Initializing Xwayland (lazy=%d)",
+				config->xwayland == XWAYLAND_MODE_LAZY);
 		server->xwayland.wlr_xwayland =
-			wlr_xwayland_create(server->wl_display, server->compositor, true);
+			wlr_xwayland_create(server->wl_display, server->compositor,
+					config->xwayland == XWAYLAND_MODE_LAZY);
 		wl_signal_add(&server->xwayland.wlr_xwayland->events.new_surface,
 			&server->xwayland_surface);
 		server->xwayland_surface.notify = handle_xwayland_surface;
diff --git a/sway/sway.5.scd b/sway/sway.5.scd
index 8049836b..128663cd 100644
--- a/sway/sway.5.scd
+++ b/sway/sway.5.scd
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ The following commands may only be used in the configuration file.
 	It can be disabled by setting the command to a single dash:
 	_swaynag\_command -_
 
-*xwayland* enable|disable
+*xwayland* enable|disable|force
 	Enables or disables Xwayland support, which allows X11 applications to be
-	used.
+	used. _enable_ will lazily load Xwayland so Xwayland will not be launched
+	until the first client attempts to connect. In some cases, such as slower
+	machines, it may be desirable to have Xwayland started immediately by
+	using _force_ instead of _enable_.
 
 The following commands cannot be used directly in the configuration file.
 They are expected to be used with *bindsym* or at runtime through *swaymsg*(1).