diff --git a/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.c b/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.c
index 53af04b21c..d5ba754f67 100644
--- a/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.c
+++ b/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.c
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
     ctx.sub.fn = (void *)SDL_LoadFunction(lib, #sym)
 
 #define SDL_GTK_SYM2(ctx, lib, sub, fn, sym)                              \
-    if (!(ctx.sub.fn = (void *)SDL_LoadFunction(lib, #sym))) {            \
+    SDL_GTK_SYM2_OPTIONAL(ctx, lib, sub, fn, sym);                        \
+    if (!ctx.sub.fn) {                                                    \
         return SDL_SetError("Could not load GTK functions");              \
     }
 
diff --git a/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.h b/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.h
index 2ec3ea0b09..73fef5a820 100644
--- a/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.h
+++ b/src/core/unix/SDL_gtk.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ typedef struct SDL_GtkContext
 extern bool SDL_Gtk_Init(void);
 extern void SDL_Gtk_Quit(void);
 extern SDL_GtkContext *SDL_Gtk_EnterContext(void);
-extern void SDL_Gtk_ExitContext(SDL_GtkContext *gtk);
+extern void SDL_Gtk_ExitContext(SDL_GtkContext *ctx);
 extern void SDL_UpdateGtk(void);
 
 #endif // SDL_gtk_h_
diff --git a/src/events/SDL_events.c b/src/events/SDL_events.c
index 19d3e37b47..c04d52b282 100644
--- a/src/events/SDL_events.c
+++ b/src/events/SDL_events.c
@@ -1445,7 +1445,6 @@ void SDL_PumpEventMaintenance(void)
     }
 #endif
 
-	// SDL_UpdateTrays will also pump GTK events if needed
     SDL_UpdateTrays();
 
     SDL_SendPendingSignalEvents(); // in case we had a signal handler fire, etc.
diff --git a/src/tray/unix/SDL_tray.c b/src/tray/unix/SDL_tray.c
index a9863932b1..874df8b15d 100644
--- a/src/tray/unix/SDL_tray.c
+++ b/src/tray/unix/SDL_tray.c
@@ -233,7 +233,9 @@ static void DestroySDLMenu(SDL_TrayMenu *menu)
 
 void SDL_UpdateTrays(void)
 {
-    SDL_UpdateGtk();
+    if (SDL_HasActiveTrays()) {
+        SDL_UpdateGtk();
+    }
 }
 
 SDL_Tray *SDL_CreateTray(SDL_Surface *icon, const char *tooltip)
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11events.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11events.c
index 4d585d3388..110da587a6 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11events.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11events.c
@@ -850,16 +850,6 @@ static void X11_HandleClipboardEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xeven
     }
 }
 
-static void X11_HandleSettingsEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xevent)
-{
-    SDL_VideoData *videodata = _this->internal;
-
-    SDL_assert(videodata->xsettings_window != None);
-    SDL_assert(xevent->xany.window == videodata->xsettings_window);
-
-    X11_HandleXsettings(_this, xevent);
-}
-
 static Bool isMapNotify(Display *display, XEvent *ev, XPointer arg)
 {
     XUnmapEvent *unmap;
@@ -1228,11 +1218,8 @@ static void X11_DispatchEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, XEvent *xevent)
         return;
     }
 
-    if ((videodata->xsettings_window != None) &&
-        (videodata->xsettings_window == xevent->xany.window)) {
-        X11_HandleSettingsEvent(_this, xevent);
-        return;
-    }
+    // xsettings internally filters events for the windows it watches
+    X11_HandleXsettingsEvent(_this, xevent);
 
     data = X11_FindWindow(_this, xevent->xany.window);
 
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11modes.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11modes.c
index cb6e4386b7..e8cd6d6193 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11modes.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11modes.c
@@ -50,74 +50,93 @@
 
 float X11_GetGlobalContentScale(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
 {
-    static double scale_factor = 0.0;
+    double scale_factor = 0.0;
 
-    if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
+    // First use the forced scaling factor specified by the app/user
+    const char *hint = SDL_GetHint(SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_SCALING_FACTOR);
+    if (hint && *hint) {
+        double value = SDL_atof(hint);
+        if (value >= 1.0f && value <= 10.0f) {
+            scale_factor = value;
+        }
+    }
 
-        // First use the forced scaling factor specified by the app/user
-        const char *hint = SDL_GetHint(SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_SCALING_FACTOR);
-        if (hint && *hint) {
-            double value = SDL_atof(hint);
-            if (value >= 1.0f && value <= 10.0f) {
-                scale_factor = value;
-            }
+    // If that failed, try "Xft.dpi" from the XResourcesDatabase...
+    // We attempt to read this directly to get the live value, XResourceManagerString
+    // is cached per display connection.
+    if (scale_factor <= 0.0)
+    {
+        SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
+        Display *display = data->display;
+        int status, real_format;
+        Atom real_type;
+        unsigned long items_read, items_left;
+        char *resource_manager;
+        bool owns_resource_manager = false;
+
+        X11_XrmInitialize();
+        status = X11_XGetWindowProperty(display, RootWindow(display, DefaultScreen(display)),
+                                        data->atoms.RESOURCE_MANAGER, 0L, 8192L, False, XA_STRING,
+                                        &real_type, &real_format, &items_read, &items_left,
+                                        (unsigned char **)&resource_manager);
+
+        if (status == Success && resource_manager) {
+            owns_resource_manager = true;
+        } else {
+            // Fall back to XResourceManagerString. This will not be updated if the
+            // dpi value is later changed but should allow getting the initial value.
+            resource_manager = X11_XResourceManagerString(display);
         }
 
-        // If that failed, try "Xft.dpi" from the XResourcesDatabase...
-        if (scale_factor <= 0.0)
-        {
-            SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
-            Display *display = data->display;
-            char *resource_manager;
+        if (resource_manager) {
             XrmDatabase db;
             XrmValue value;
             char *type;
 
-            X11_XrmInitialize();
+            db = X11_XrmGetStringDatabase(resource_manager);
 
-            resource_manager = X11_XResourceManagerString(display);
-            if (resource_manager) {
-                db = X11_XrmGetStringDatabase(resource_manager);
-
-                // Get the value of Xft.dpi from the Database
-                if (X11_XrmGetResource(db, "Xft.dpi", "String", &type, &value)) {
-                    if (value.addr && type && SDL_strcmp(type, "String") == 0) {
-                        int dpi = SDL_atoi(value.addr);
-                        scale_factor  = dpi / 96.0;
-                    }
-                }
-                X11_XrmDestroyDatabase(db);
-            }
-        }
-
-        // If that failed, try the XSETTINGS keys...
-        if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
-            scale_factor = X11_GetXsettingsIntKey(_this, "Gdk/WindowScalingFactor", -1);
-
-            // The Xft/DPI key is stored in increments of 1024th
-            if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
-                int dpi = X11_GetXsettingsIntKey(_this, "Xft/DPI", -1);
-                if (dpi > 0) {
-                    scale_factor = (double) dpi / 1024.0;
-                    scale_factor /= 96.0;
+            // Get the value of Xft.dpi from the Database
+            if (X11_XrmGetResource(db, "Xft.dpi", "String", &type, &value)) {
+                if (value.addr && type && SDL_strcmp(type, "String") == 0) {
+                    int dpi = SDL_atoi(value.addr);
+                    scale_factor  = dpi / 96.0;
                 }
             }
-        }
+            X11_XrmDestroyDatabase(db);
 
-        // If that failed, try the GDK_SCALE envvar...
-        if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
-            const char *scale_str = SDL_getenv("GDK_SCALE");
-            if (scale_str) {
-                scale_factor = SDL_atoi(scale_str);
+            if (owns_resource_manager) {
+                X11_XFree(resource_manager);
             }
         }
+    }
 
-        // Nothing or a bad value, just fall back to 1.0
+    // If that failed, try the XSETTINGS keys...
+    if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
+        scale_factor = X11_GetXsettingsIntKey(_this, "Gdk/WindowScalingFactor", -1);
+
+        // The Xft/DPI key is stored in increments of 1024th
         if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
-            scale_factor = 1.0;
+            int dpi = X11_GetXsettingsIntKey(_this, "Xft/DPI", -1);
+            if (dpi > 0) {
+                scale_factor = (double) dpi / 1024.0;
+                scale_factor /= 96.0;
+            }
         }
     }
 
+    // If that failed, try the GDK_SCALE envvar...
+    if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
+        const char *scale_str = SDL_getenv("GDK_SCALE");
+        if (scale_str) {
+            scale_factor = SDL_atoi(scale_str);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Nothing or a bad value, just fall back to 1.0
+    if (scale_factor <= 0.0) {
+        scale_factor = 1.0;
+    }
+
     return (float)scale_factor;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.c
index 661d66db83..9ade109991 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.c
@@ -26,9 +26,8 @@
 #include "SDL_x11video.h"
 #include "SDL_x11settings.h"
 
-#include "core/unix/SDL_gtk.h"
-
 #define SDL_XSETTINGS_GDK_WINDOW_SCALING_FACTOR "Gdk/WindowScalingFactor"
+#define SDL_XSETTINGS_GDK_UNSCALED_DPI "Gdk/UnscaledDPI"
 #define SDL_XSETTINGS_XFT_DPI "Xft/DPI"
 
 static void UpdateContentScale(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
@@ -44,13 +43,12 @@ static void UpdateContentScale(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
 static void X11_XsettingsNotify(const char *name, XSettingsAction action, XSettingsSetting *setting, void *data)
 {
     SDL_VideoDevice *_this = data;
-    UpdateContentScale(_this);
-}
 
-static void OnGtkXftDpi(GtkSettings *settings, GParamSpec *pspec, gpointer ptr)
-{
-    SDL_VideoDevice *_this = (SDL_VideoDevice *)ptr;
-    UpdateContentScale(_this);
+    if (SDL_strcmp(name, SDL_XSETTINGS_GDK_WINDOW_SCALING_FACTOR) == 0 ||
+    	SDL_strcmp(name, SDL_XSETTINGS_GDK_UNSCALED_DPI) == 0 ||
+        SDL_strcmp(name, SDL_XSETTINGS_XFT_DPI) == 0) {
+        UpdateContentScale(_this);
+    }
 }
 
 void X11_InitXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
@@ -58,25 +56,6 @@ void X11_InitXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
     SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
     SDLX11_SettingsData *xsettings_data = &data->xsettings_data;
 
-    GtkSettings *gtksettings = NULL;
-    guint xft_dpi_signal_handler_id = 0;
-
-    SDL_GtkContext *gtk = SDL_Gtk_EnterContext();
-    if (gtk) {
-        // Prefer to listen for DPI changes from gtk. In XWayland this is necessary as XSettings
-        // are not updated dynamically.
-        gtksettings = gtk->gtk.settings_get_default();
-        if (gtksettings) {
-            xft_dpi_signal_handler_id = gtk->g.signal_connect(gtksettings, "notify::gtk-xft-dpi", &OnGtkXftDpi, _this);
-        }
-        SDL_Gtk_ExitContext(gtk);
-    }
-
-    if (gtksettings && xft_dpi_signal_handler_id) {
-        xsettings_data->gtksettings = gtksettings;
-        xsettings_data->xft_dpi_signal_handler_id = xft_dpi_signal_handler_id;
-    }
-
     xsettings_data->xsettings = xsettings_client_new(data->display,
         DefaultScreen(data->display), X11_XsettingsNotify, NULL, _this);
 }
@@ -89,28 +68,15 @@ void X11_QuitXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
     if (xsettings_data->xsettings) {
         xsettings_client_destroy(xsettings_data->xsettings);
     }
-
-    SDL_GtkContext *gtk = SDL_Gtk_EnterContext();
-    if (gtk) {
-        if (xsettings_data->gtksettings && xsettings_data->xft_dpi_signal_handler_id) {
-            gtk->g.signal_handler_disconnect(xsettings_data->gtksettings, xsettings_data->xft_dpi_signal_handler_id);
-        }
-        SDL_Gtk_ExitContext(gtk);
-    }
-
-    SDL_zero(xsettings_data);
 }
 
-void X11_HandleXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xevent)
+void X11_HandleXsettingsEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xevent)
 {
     SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
     SDLX11_SettingsData *xsettings_data = &data->xsettings_data;
 
     if (xsettings_data->xsettings) {
-        if (!xsettings_client_process_event(xsettings_data->xsettings, xevent)) {
-            xsettings_client_destroy(xsettings_data->xsettings);
-            xsettings_data->xsettings = NULL;
-        }
+        xsettings_client_process_event(xsettings_data->xsettings, xevent);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.h b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.h
index 39926b66c6..f91ed70ac7 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.h
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11settings.h
@@ -27,17 +27,13 @@
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include "xsettings-client.h"
 
-#include "core/unix/SDL_gtk.h"
-
 typedef struct X11_SettingsData {
     XSettingsClient *xsettings;
-    GtkSettings *gtksettings;
-    guint xft_dpi_signal_handler_id;
 } SDLX11_SettingsData;
 
 extern void X11_InitXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this);
 extern void X11_QuitXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this);
-extern void X11_HandleXsettings(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xevent);
+extern void X11_HandleXsettingsEvent(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XEvent *xevent);
 extern int X11_GetXsettingsIntKey(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const char *key, int fallback_value);
 
 #endif // SDL_x11settings_h_
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.c
index 8b23186e1a..ce34f9e6e9 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.c
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ static bool X11_VideoInit(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
     GET_ATOM(SDL_SELECTION);
     GET_ATOM(TARGETS);
     GET_ATOM(SDL_FORMATS);
+    GET_ATOM(RESOURCE_MANAGER);
     GET_ATOM(XdndAware);
     GET_ATOM(XdndEnter);
     GET_ATOM(XdndLeave);
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.h b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.h
index a336a800f5..8d89bf5b76 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.h
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11video.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ struct SDL_VideoData
         Atom SDL_SELECTION;
         Atom TARGETS;
         Atom SDL_FORMATS;
+        Atom RESOURCE_MANAGER;
         Atom XdndAware;
         Atom XdndEnter;
         Atom XdndLeave;