diff --git a/x.c b/x.c
index b488617..1f62129 100644
--- a/x.c
+++ b/x.c
@@ -146,9 +146,10 @@ static void xdrawglyphfontspecs(const XftGlyphFontSpec *, Glyph, int, int, int);
 static void xdrawglyph(Glyph, int, int);
 static void xclear(int, int, int, int);
 static int xgeommasktogravity(int);
-static void ximopen(Display *);
+static int ximopen(Display *);
 static void ximinstantiate(Display *, XPointer, XPointer);
 static void ximdestroy(XIM, XPointer, XPointer);
+static int xicdestroy(XIC, XPointer, XPointer);
 static void xinit(int, int);
 static void cresize(int, int);
 static void xresize(int, int);
@@ -1025,48 +1026,61 @@ xunloadfonts(void)
 	xunloadfont(&dc.ibfont);
 }
 
-void
+int
 ximopen(Display *dpy)
 {
-	XIMCallback destroy = { .client_data = NULL, .callback = ximdestroy };
+	XIMCallback imdestroy = { .client_data = NULL, .callback = ximdestroy };
+	XICCallback icdestroy = { .client_data = NULL, .callback = xicdestroy };
 
-	if ((xw.ime.xim = XOpenIM(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL)) == NULL) {
-		XSetLocaleModifiers("@im=local");
-		if ((xw.ime.xim = XOpenIM(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL)) == NULL) {
-			XSetLocaleModifiers("@im=");
-			if ((xw.ime.xim = XOpenIM(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL)) == NULL)
-				die("XOpenIM failed. Could not open input device.\n");
-		}
-	}
-	if (XSetIMValues(xw.ime.xim, XNDestroyCallback, &destroy, NULL) != NULL)
-		die("XSetIMValues failed. Could not set input method value.\n");
-	xw.xic = XCreateIC(xw.ime.xim, XNInputStyle, XIMPreeditNothing | XIMStatusNothing,
-	                   XNClientWindow, xw.win, XNFocusWindow, xw.win, NULL);
-	if (xw.xic == NULL)
-		die("XCreateIC failed. Could not obtain input method.\n");
+	xw.ime.xim = XOpenIM(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	if (xw.ime.xim == NULL)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (XSetIMValues(xw.ime.xim, XNDestroyCallback, &imdestroy, NULL))
+		fprintf(stderr, "XSetIMValues: "
+		                "Could not set XNDestroyCallback.\n");
 
 	xw.ime.spotlist = XVaCreateNestedList(0, XNSpotLocation, &xw.ime.spot,
 	                                      NULL);
+
+	if (xw.ime.xic == NULL) {
+		xw.ime.xic = XCreateIC(xw.ime.xim, XNInputStyle,
+		                       XIMPreeditNothing | XIMStatusNothing,
+		                       XNClientWindow, xw.win,
+		                       XNFocusWindow, xw.win,
+		                       XNDestroyCallback, &icdestroy,
+		                       NULL);
+	}
+	if (xw.ime.xic == NULL)
+		fprintf(stderr, "XCreateIC: Could not create input context.\n");
+
+	return 1;
 }
 
 void
 ximinstantiate(Display *dpy, XPointer client, XPointer call)
 {
-	ximopen(dpy);
-	XUnregisterIMInstantiateCallback(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-					ximinstantiate, NULL);
+	if (ximopen(dpy))
+		XUnregisterIMInstantiateCallback(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+		                                 ximinstantiate, NULL);
 }
 
 void
 ximdestroy(XIM xim, XPointer client, XPointer call)
 {
 	xw.ime.xim = NULL;
-	xw.ime.xic = NULL;
 	XRegisterIMInstantiateCallback(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-					ximinstantiate, NULL);
+	                               ximinstantiate, NULL);
 	XFree(xw.ime.spotlist);
 }
 
+int
+xicdestroy(XIC xim, XPointer client, XPointer call)
+{
+	xw.ime.xic = NULL;
+	return 1;
+}
+
 void
 xinit(int cols, int rows)
 {
@@ -1132,7 +1146,10 @@ xinit(int cols, int rows)
 	xw.draw = XftDrawCreate(xw.dpy, xw.buf, xw.vis, xw.cmap);
 
 	/* input methods */
-	ximopen(xw.dpy);
+	if (!ximopen(xw.dpy)) {
+		XRegisterIMInstantiateCallback(xw.dpy, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+	                                       ximinstantiate, NULL);
+	}
 
 	/* white cursor, black outline */
 	cursor = XCreateFontCursor(xw.dpy, mouseshape);
@@ -1765,7 +1782,10 @@ kpress(XEvent *ev)
 	if (IS_SET(MODE_KBDLOCK))
 		return;
 
-	len = XmbLookupString(xw.ime.xic, e, buf, sizeof buf, &ksym, &status);
+	if (xw.ime.xic)
+		len = XmbLookupString(xw.ime.xic, e, buf, sizeof buf, &ksym, &status);
+	else
+		len = XLookupString(e, buf, sizeof buf, &ksym, NULL);
 	/* 1. shortcuts */
 	for (bp = shortcuts; bp < shortcuts + LEN(shortcuts); bp++) {
 		if (ksym == bp->keysym && match(bp->mod, e->state)) {