diff --git a/compositor/main.vala b/compositor/main.vala
index df2e12ed7..2df5d5904 100644
--- a/compositor/main.vala
+++ b/compositor/main.vala
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@ namespace GreeterCompositor {
     }
 
     public static int main (string[] args) {
-        // Ensure we present ourselves as Pantheon so we pick up the right GSettings
-        // overrides
-        GLib.Environment.set_variable ("XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP", "Pantheon", true);
+        if (GLib.Environment.get_variable ("DESKTOP_SESSION") != "installer") {
+            // Ensure we present ourselves as Pantheon so we pick up the right GSettings
+            // overrides
+            GLib.Environment.set_variable ("XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP", "Pantheon", true);
 
-        var settings_daemon = new SettingsDaemon ();
-        settings_daemon.start ();
+            var settings_daemon = new SettingsDaemon ();
+            settings_daemon.start ();
+        }
 
         var ctx = new Meta.Context ("Mutter(GreeterCompositor)");
         ctx.add_option_entries (GreeterCompositor.OPTIONS, Constants.GETTEXT_PACKAGE);