diff --git a/clients/keyboard.c b/clients/keyboard.c
index 3290c2994..0687eebc9 100644
--- a/clients/keyboard.c
+++ b/clients/keyboard.c
@@ -243,8 +243,12 @@ static const struct layout arabic_layout = {
 };
 
 #define MAX(x, y) (((x) > (y)) ? (x) : (y))
+#define MIN(x, y) (((x) < (y)) ? (x) : (y))
 #define max_count MAX(MAX(sizeof(arabic_keys) / sizeof(*arabic_keys), sizeof(numeric_keys) / sizeof(*numeric_keys) ), sizeof(normal_keys) / sizeof(*normal_keys))
 
+#define min_columns  MIN(MIN(normal_layout.columns, numeric_layout.columns), arabic_layout.columns)
+#define min_rows     MIN(MIN(normal_layout.rows, numeric_layout.rows), arabic_layout.rows)
+
 static const char *style_labels[] = {
 	"default",
 	"none",
@@ -1105,6 +1109,7 @@ keyboard_create(struct virtual_keyboard *virtual_keyboard)
 	window_set_appid(keyboard->window,
 			 "org.freedesktop.weston.virtual-keyboard");
 	window_set_user_data(keyboard->window, keyboard);
+	window_set_min_allocation(keyboard->window, min_columns * (int32_t)key_width, min_rows * (int32_t)key_height);
 
 	widget_set_redraw_handler(keyboard->widget, redraw_handler);
 	widget_set_resize_handler(keyboard->widget, resize_handler);
diff --git a/clients/window.c b/clients/window.c
index 90440c114..d88576856 100644
--- a/clients/window.c
+++ b/clients/window.c
@@ -4871,6 +4871,12 @@ window_is_resizing(struct window *window)
 	return window->resizing;
 }
 
+void window_set_min_allocation(struct window *window, int32_t width, int32_t height)
+{
+	window->min_allocation.width = width;
+	window->min_allocation.height = height;
+}
+
 void
 window_set_minimized(struct window *window)
 {
diff --git a/clients/window.h b/clients/window.h
index 8b3d9d1f3..add6ef601 100644
--- a/clients/window.h
+++ b/clients/window.h
@@ -481,6 +481,9 @@ window_set_maximized(struct window *window, int maximized);
 int
 window_is_resizing(struct window *window);
 
+void
+window_set_min_allocation(struct window *window, int32_t width, int32_t height);
+
 void
 window_set_minimized(struct window *window);