diff --git a/programs/explorer/desktop.c b/programs/explorer/desktop.c
index 5503787f8ad..49bbbe99891 100644
--- a/programs/explorer/desktop.c
+++ b/programs/explorer/desktop.c
@@ -744,10 +744,7 @@ void manage_desktop( WCHAR *arg )
 
     /* create the desktop window */
     hwnd = CreateWindowExW( 0, DESKTOP_CLASS_ATOM, NULL,
-                            WS_POPUP | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_CLIPCHILDREN,
-                            GetSystemMetrics(SM_XVIRTUALSCREEN), GetSystemMetrics(SM_YVIRTUALSCREEN),
-                            GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXVIRTUALSCREEN), GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYVIRTUALSCREEN),
-                            0, 0, 0, NULL );
+                            WS_POPUP | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_CLIPCHILDREN, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL );
 
     /* create the HWND_MESSAGE parent */
     msg_hwnd = CreateWindowExW( 0, messageW, NULL, WS_POPUP | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_CLIPCHILDREN,
@@ -763,7 +760,9 @@ void manage_desktop( WCHAR *arg )
         SetWindowLongPtrW( hwnd, GWLP_WNDPROC, (LONG_PTR)desktop_wnd_proc );
         SendMessageW( hwnd, WM_SETICON, ICON_BIG, (LPARAM)LoadIconW( 0, MAKEINTRESOURCEW(OIC_WINLOGO)));
         if (name) set_desktop_window_title( hwnd, name );
-        ShowWindow( hwnd, SW_SHOW );
+        SetWindowPos( hwnd, 0, GetSystemMetrics(SM_XVIRTUALSCREEN), GetSystemMetrics(SM_YVIRTUALSCREEN),
+                      GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXVIRTUALSCREEN), GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYVIRTUALSCREEN),
+                      SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOACTIVATE | SWP_SHOWWINDOW );
         SystemParametersInfoW( SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER, 0, NULL, FALSE );
         ClipCursor( NULL );
         initialize_display_settings( hwnd );