diff --git a/exo/exo-execute.c b/exo/exo-execute.c
index 1fabf57..3295b05 100644
--- a/exo/exo-execute.c
+++ b/exo/exo-execute.c
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ exo_execute_preferred_application_on_screen (const gchar *category,
 {
   gchar   *argv[5];
   gchar   *display;
+  gchar   *xauth;
   gchar  **envp = g_strdupv (envp_in);
   gint     argc = 0;
   gboolean success;
@@ -148,11 +149,17 @@ exo_execute_preferred_application_on_screen (const gchar *category,
   /* set the display environment variable */
   display = gdk_screen_make_display_name (screen);
   envp = g_environ_setenv (envp, "DISPLAY", display, TRUE);
+      
+  /* set the xauthority environment variable */
+  xauth = g_strdup (g_getenv ("XAUTHORITY"));
+  if (G_LIKELY (xauth != NULL))
+    envp = g_environ_setenv (envp, "XAUTHORITY", xauth, TRUE);
 
   /* launch the command */
   success = g_spawn_async (working_directory, argv, envp, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, error);
 
   g_free (display);
+  g_free (xauth);
   g_strfreev (envp);
   return success;
 }