diff --git a/sway/commands/xwayland.c b/sway/commands/xwayland.c
index b72f3239d..622932766 100644
--- a/sway/commands/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/commands/xwayland.c
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_xwayland(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_XWAYLAND
-	config->xwayland = parse_boolean(argv[0], config->xwayland);
+	bool xwayland = parse_boolean(argv[0], true);
+	if (config->reloading && config->xwayland != xwayland) {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE,
+				"xwayland can only be enabled/disabled at launch");
+	}
+	config->xwayland = xwayland;
 #else
 	sway_log(SWAY_INFO, "Ignoring `xwayland` command, "
 		"sway hasn't been built with Xwayland support");
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 4e64bd3a3..70f2d7066 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -441,6 +441,11 @@ bool load_main_config(const char *file, bool is_active, bool validating) {
 		config->reloading = true;
 		config->active = true;
 
+		// xwayland can only be enabled/disabled at launch
+		sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "xwayland will remain %s",
+				old_config->xwayland ? "enabled" : "disabled");
+		config->xwayland = old_config->xwayland;
+
 		if (old_config->swaybg_client != NULL) {
 			wl_client_destroy(old_config->swaybg_client);
 		}