diff --git a/src/servers/app/Desktop.cpp b/src/servers/app/Desktop.cpp
index 721703ef93..3402caaf94 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Desktop.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/Desktop.cpp
@@ -514,15 +514,15 @@ Desktop::Init()
 	fVirtualScreen.SetConfiguration(*this,
 		fWorkspaces[0].CurrentScreenConfiguration());
 
-	float brightness = fWorkspaces[0].StoredScreenConfiguration().Brightness(0);
-	if (brightness > 0)
-		HWInterface()->SetBrightness(brightness);
-
 	if (fVirtualScreen.HWInterface() == NULL) {
 		debug_printf("Could not initialize graphics output. Exiting.\n");
 		return B_ERROR;
 	}
 
+	float brightness = fWorkspaces[0].StoredScreenConfiguration().Brightness(0);
+	if (brightness > 0)
+		HWInterface()->SetBrightness(brightness);
+
 	fVirtualScreen.HWInterface()->MoveCursorTo(
 		fVirtualScreen.Frame().Width() / 2,
 		fVirtualScreen.Frame().Height() / 2);