diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index 5ec897ddd..6d2c75837 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -2652,11 +2652,6 @@ background_committed(struct weston_surface *es,
 		sh_output->background_view = weston_view_create(es);
 	}
 
-	if (sh_output->temporary_curtain) {
-		weston_shell_utils_curtain_destroy(sh_output->temporary_curtain);
-		sh_output->temporary_curtain = NULL;
-	}
-
 	assert(sh_output->background_view);
 	weston_view_set_position(sh_output->background_view,
 				 sh_output->output->pos);
@@ -4435,10 +4430,6 @@ shell_output_destroy(struct shell_output *shell_output)
 		wl_list_remove(&shell_output->background_surface_listener.link);
 		shell_output->background_surface->committed_private = NULL;
 	}
-	if (shell_output->temporary_curtain) {
-		weston_shell_utils_curtain_destroy(shell_output->temporary_curtain);
-		shell_output->temporary_curtain = NULL;
-	}
 	wl_list_remove(&shell_output->destroy_listener.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&shell_output->link);
 	free(shell_output);
@@ -4506,19 +4497,11 @@ handle_output_resized(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	shell_resize_surface_to_output(shell, sh_output->panel_surface, output);
 }
 
-static int
-desktop_shell_temporary_curtain_get_label(struct weston_surface *surface,
-					  char *buf, size_t len)
-{
-	return snprintf(buf, len, "desktop shell background placeholder");
-}
-
 static void
 create_shell_output(struct desktop_shell *shell,
 					struct weston_output *output)
 {
 	struct shell_output *shell_output;
-	struct weston_curtain_params curtain_params = {};
 
 	shell_output = zalloc(sizeof *shell_output);
 	if (shell_output == NULL)
@@ -4536,22 +4519,6 @@ create_shell_output(struct desktop_shell *shell,
 	if (!shell->disallow_output_changed_move && wl_list_length(&shell->output_list) == 1)
 		shell_for_each_layer(shell,
 				     shell_output_changed_move_layer, NULL);
-
-	curtain_params.a = 1.0;
-	curtain_params.pos = output->pos;
-	curtain_params.width = output->width;
-	curtain_params.height = output->height;
-	curtain_params.capture_input = true;
-	curtain_params.get_label = desktop_shell_temporary_curtain_get_label;
-	shell_output->temporary_curtain =
-		weston_shell_utils_curtain_create(output->compositor,
-						  &curtain_params);
-	weston_surface_set_role(shell_output->temporary_curtain->view->surface,
-				"desktop-shell-background-placeholder", NULL, 0);
-	shell_output->temporary_curtain->view->surface->output = output;
-	weston_view_move_to_layer(shell_output->temporary_curtain->view,
-				  &shell->background_layer.view_list);
-	weston_view_set_output(shell_output->temporary_curtain->view, output);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.h b/desktop-shell/shell.h
index 2cde3b207..70e118f7b 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.h
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.h
@@ -240,8 +240,6 @@ struct shell_output {
 	struct weston_surface *background_surface;
 	struct weston_view *background_view;
 	struct wl_listener background_surface_listener;
-
-	struct weston_curtain *temporary_curtain;
 };
 
 struct weston_desktop;