Bug 513983 - Plasmashell exits with Wayland protocol error ("error 3: xdg_surface must not have a buffer at creation") when opening start menu
Summary: Plasmashell exits with Wayland protocol error ("error 3: xdg_surface must not...
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: generic-crash (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.5.4
Platform: Neon Linux
: NOR major
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-12-30 19:40 UTC by Torge Rosendahl
Modified: 2026-01-08 22:35 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
stderr of plasmashell replace (929.03 KB, text/plain)
2026-01-01 18:02 UTC, Torge Rosendahl
Details

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Description Torge Rosendahl 2025-12-30 19:40:20 UTC
SUMMARY
Sometimes, when I press the Super key to open the start menu, Plasma crashes.
I still see all my windows, but the Panel, my desktop background + widgets turn black, with Plasma apparently restarting after roughly 2-3 seconds (widgets take a bit longer than that).

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: 6.14.0-37-generic
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.21.0
Qt Version: 6.10.1
On KDE Neon with Wayland

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

`journalctl /usr/bin/plasmashell` of the relevant section:

```plain
Dec 30 20:36:05 pctorge plasmashell[51281]: xdg_surface#259: error 3: attached a buffer before configure event
Dec 30 20:36:05 pctorge plasmashell[51281]: The Wayland connection experienced a fatal error: Protocol error
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: Applet preload policy set to 1
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
Dec 30 20:36:06 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
Dec 30 20:36:08 pctorge plasmashell[52154]: QWaylandGLContext: Failed to create the decorations EGLContext. Decorations will not be drawn.
```
Comment 1 Torge Rosendahl 2025-12-30 19:55:15 UTC
The issue appears to be gone after a reboot.
Comment 2 TraceyC 2025-12-31 17:11:41 UTC
Thanks for the bug report. It looks like Plasma runs into a Wayland protocol error, not actually a crash:

Dec 30 20:36:05 pctorge plasmashell[51281]: xdg_surface#259: error 3: attached a buffer before configure event
Dec 30 20:36:05 pctorge plasmashell[51281]: The Wayland connection experienced a fatal error: Protocol error

We had tracked this in bug 486449 and thought it was fixed with an update to Frameworks, but you're running a current version of Frameworks.

At this point, we need to figure out which exact thing is causing this on your system.

Can you please run `WAYLAND_DEBUG=1 plasmashell --replace` in a terminal window, then reproduce the crash, and then attach the entire contents of the output (it will be long) as a file here? I realize it may take time, and perhaps multiple attempts. Thanks!
Comment 3 Torge Rosendahl 2026-01-01 18:02:59 UTC
Created attachment 188137 [details]
stderr of plasmashell replace

Attached a file with the output of

WAYLAND_DEBUG=1 plasmashell --replace 2> plasmadebuglog.txt
Comment 4 TraceyC 2026-01-07 21:37:34 UTC
Thanks for the logs. The plasma developers will take a closer look.
Comment 5 Nate Graham 2026-01-08 22:35:22 UTC
There's also Bug 506412.

Looks like it was never fully fixed. :/