diff --git a/miext/shadow/shadow.c b/miext/shadow/shadow.c
index 111f46a60..cb1b299fe 100644
--- a/miext/shadow/shadow.c
+++ b/miext/shadow/shadow.c
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ shadowSetup(ScreenPtr pScreen)
 {
     shadowBufPtr pBuf;
 
+    if (!dixRegisterPrivateKey(&shadowScrPrivateKeyRec, PRIVATE_SCREEN, 0))
+	return FALSE;
+
     if (!DamageSetup(pScreen))
 	return FALSE;
 
@@ -233,9 +236,6 @@ shadowInit(ScreenPtr pScreen, ShadowUpdateProc update, ShadowWindowProc window)
 {
     PixmapPtr pPixmap;
     
-    if (!dixRegisterPrivateKey(&shadowScrPrivateKeyRec, PRIVATE_SCREEN, 0))
-	return FALSE;
-
     pPixmap = pScreen->CreatePixmap(pScreen, pScreen->width, pScreen->height,
 				    pScreen->rootDepth, 0);
     if (!pPixmap)