diff --git a/piker/ui/_style.py b/piker/ui/_style.py
index 2b73b0df..c1f151f4 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_style.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_style.py
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ class DpiAwareFont:
         # take the max since scaling can make things ugly in some cases
         pdpi = screen.physicalDotsPerInch()
         ldpi = screen.logicalDotsPerInch()
+
+        # XXX: this is needed on sway/wayland where you set
+        # ``QT_WAYLAND_FORCE_DPI=physical``
+        if ldpi == 0:
+            ldpi = pdpi
+
         mx_dpi = max(pdpi, ldpi)
         mn_dpi = min(pdpi, ldpi)
         scale = round(ldpi/pdpi)
diff --git a/piker/ui/_window.py b/piker/ui/_window.py
index a97b1f84..17c97411 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_window.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_window.py
@@ -148,12 +148,17 @@ class MultiStatus:
 
 class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
 
-    size = (800, 500)
+    # XXX: for tiling wms this should scale
+    # with the alloted window size.
+    # TODO: detect for tiling and if untrue set some size?
+    # size = (300, 500)
+    size = (0, 0)
+
     title = 'piker chart (ur symbol is loading bby)'
 
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
-        self.setMinimumSize(*self.size)
+        # self.setMinimumSize(*self.size)
         self.setWindowTitle(self.title)
 
         self._status_bar: QStatusBar = None