diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c b/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
index eec53114a..fc0546be8 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
@@ -1305,5 +1305,5 @@ xrt_gfx_provider_create_system(struct xrt_device *xdev, struct xrt_system_compos
 	xrt_result_t xret = u_pa_factory_create(&upaf);
 	assert(xret == XRT_SUCCESS && upaf != NULL);
 
-	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&c->base.base, upaf, sys_info, out_xsysc);
+	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&c->base.base, upaf, sys_info, true, out_xsysc);
 }
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_interface.h b/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_interface.h
index 1f5faa23b..13e3fb734 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_interface.h
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_interface.h
@@ -24,11 +24,18 @@ struct u_pacing_app_factory;
  * through a "multi compositor") and that drives a single native compositor.
  * Both the native compositor and the pacing factory is owned by the system
  * compositor and destroyed by it.
+ *
+ * @param xcn           Native compositor that client are multi-plexed to.
+ * @param upaf          App pacing factory, one pacer created per client.
+ * @param xsci          Information to be exposed.
+ * @param do_warm_start Should we always submit a frame at startup.
+ * @param out_xsysc     Created @ref xrt_system_compositor.
  */
 xrt_result_t
 comp_multi_create_system_compositor(struct xrt_compositor_native *xcn,
                                     struct u_pacing_app_factory *upaf,
                                     const struct xrt_system_compositor_info *xsci,
+                                    bool do_warm_start,
                                     struct xrt_system_compositor **out_xsysc);
 
 
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_system.c b/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_system.c
index db6bffd93..8fc92d984 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_system.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/multi/comp_multi_system.c
@@ -642,6 +642,7 @@ xrt_result_t
 comp_multi_create_system_compositor(struct xrt_compositor_native *xcn,
                                     struct u_pacing_app_factory *upaf,
                                     const struct xrt_system_compositor_info *xsci,
+                                    bool do_warm_start,
                                     struct xrt_system_compositor **out_xsysc)
 {
 	struct multi_system_compositor *msc = U_TYPED_CALLOC(struct multi_system_compositor);
@@ -654,8 +655,8 @@ comp_multi_create_system_compositor(struct xrt_compositor_native *xcn,
 	msc->base.info = *xsci;
 	msc->upaf = upaf;
 	msc->xcn = xcn;
-	msc->sessions.state = MULTI_SYSTEM_STATE_STOPPED;
 	msc->sessions.active_count = 0;
+	msc->sessions.state = do_warm_start ? MULTI_SYSTEM_STATE_INIT_WARM_START : MULTI_SYSTEM_STATE_STOPPED;
 
 	os_mutex_init(&msc->list_and_timing_lock);
 
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/null/null_compositor.c b/src/xrt/compositor/null/null_compositor.c
index 563ca7423..8fe244137 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/null/null_compositor.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/null/null_compositor.c
@@ -589,5 +589,5 @@ null_compositor_create_system(struct xrt_device *xdev, struct xrt_system_composi
 	xrt_result_t xret = u_pa_factory_create(&upaf);
 	assert(xret == XRT_SUCCESS && upaf != NULL);
 
-	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&c->base.base, upaf, &c->sys_info, out_xsysc);
+	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&c->base.base, upaf, &c->sys_info, false, out_xsysc);
 }
diff --git a/src/xrt/targets/sdl_test/sdl_compositor.c b/src/xrt/targets/sdl_test/sdl_compositor.c
index 9eefc843a..3b323a3d5 100644
--- a/src/xrt/targets/sdl_test/sdl_compositor.c
+++ b/src/xrt/targets/sdl_test/sdl_compositor.c
@@ -604,5 +604,5 @@ sdl_compositor_create_system(struct sdl_program *sp, struct xrt_system_composito
 	xrt_result_t xret = u_pa_factory_create(&upaf);
 	assert(xret == XRT_SUCCESS && upaf != NULL);
 
-	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&sp->c.base.base, upaf, &sp->c.sys_info, out_xsysc);
+	return comp_multi_create_system_compositor(&sp->c.base.base, upaf, &sp->c.sys_info, false, out_xsysc);
 }