diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiwindow_x11.c b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiwindow_x11.c
index 865b11babe..217815cdaf 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiwindow_x11.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiwindow_x11.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ gst_vaapi_window_x11_create (GstVaapiWindow * window, guint * width,
   const GstVaapiDisplayClass *display_class;
   const GstVaapiWindowClass *window_class;
   XWindowAttributes wattr;
-  Atom atoms[2];
+  Atom wm_delete, atoms[2];
   gboolean ok;
 
   static const char *atom_names[2] = {
@@ -269,8 +269,16 @@ gst_vaapi_window_x11_create (GstVaapiWindow * window, guint * width,
   priv->atom_NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN = atoms[1];
 
   xid = x11_create_window (dpy, *width, *height, vid, cmap);
-  if (xid)
+  if (xid) {
+    /* Tell the window manager we'd like delete client messages instead of
+     * being killed */
+    wm_delete = XInternAtom (dpy, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", True);
+    if (wm_delete != None) {
+      (void) XSetWMProtocols (dpy, xid, &wm_delete, 1);
+    }
+
     XRaiseWindow (dpy, xid);
+  }
   GST_VAAPI_WINDOW_UNLOCK_DISPLAY (window);
 
   GST_DEBUG ("xid %" GST_VAAPI_ID_FORMAT, GST_VAAPI_ID_ARGS (xid));
diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
index c19658332e..158ade9e03 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
@@ -439,6 +439,35 @@ gst_vaapisink_x11_handle_events (GstVaapiSink * sink)
     }
     if (do_expose)
       gst_vaapisink_video_overlay_expose (GST_VIDEO_OVERLAY (sink));
+
+    /* Handle Display events */
+    for (;;) {
+      gst_vaapi_display_lock (display);
+      if (XPending (x11_dpy) == 0) {
+        gst_vaapi_display_unlock (display);
+        break;
+      }
+      XNextEvent (x11_dpy, &e);
+      gst_vaapi_display_unlock (display);
+
+      switch (e.type) {
+        case ClientMessage:{
+          Atom wm_delete;
+
+          wm_delete = XInternAtom (x11_dpy, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
+          if (wm_delete == (Atom) e.xclient.data.l[0]) {
+            /* Handle window deletion by posting an error on the bus */
+            GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (sink, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
+                ("Output window was closed"), (NULL));
+            return FALSE;
+          }
+          break;
+        }
+        default:
+          break;
+      }
+    }
+
   }
   return TRUE;
 }