diff --git a/client/displayservers/X11/clipboard.c b/client/displayservers/X11/clipboard.c
index 987ab5e6..d66c103b 100644
--- a/client/displayservers/X11/clipboard.c
+++ b/client/displayservers/X11/clipboard.c
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static void x11CBSelectionNotify(const XSelectionEvent e)
 
   const LG_ClipboardRequest request = x11cb.read.request;
   const bool valid = dataType != LG_CLIPBOARD_DATA_NONE &&
-    dataType == x11cb.read.type && format == 8;
+    dataType == x11cb.read.type && format == 8 && (!itemCount || data);
   cancelReadNL();
   LG_UNLOCK(x11cb.lock);