diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 87a7522e8b..6e14386f2e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Unreleased` header.
 
 # Unreleased
 
+- On X11, don't require XIM to run.
 - Fix compatibility with 32-bit platforms without 64-bit atomics.
 - On X11, fix swapped instance and general class names.
 - **Breaking:** Removed unnecessary generic parameter `T` from `EventLoopWindowTarget`.
diff --git a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/event_processor.rs b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/event_processor.rs
index d7d3b5c557..9e88f1d4ee 100644
--- a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/event_processor.rs
+++ b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/event_processor.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ impl EventProcessor {
 
         // Handle IME requests.
         while let Ok(request) = self.ime_receiver.try_recv() {
-            let ime = window_target.ime.get_mut();
+            let ime = match window_target.ime.as_mut() {
+                Some(ime) => ime,
+                None => continue,
+            };
+            let ime = ime.get_mut();
             match request {
                 ImeRequest::Position(window_id, x, y) => {
                     ime.send_xim_spot(window_id, x, y);
@@ -792,10 +796,11 @@ impl EventProcessor {
 
         // Since all XIM stuff needs to happen from the same thread, we destroy the input
         // context here instead of when dropping the window.
-        wt.ime
-            .borrow_mut()
-            .remove_context(window as XWindow)
-            .expect("Failed to destroy input context");
+        if let Some(ime) = wt.ime.as_ref() {
+            ime.borrow_mut()
+                .remove_context(window as XWindow)
+                .expect("Failed to destroy input context");
+        }
 
         callback(
             &self.target,
@@ -922,7 +927,11 @@ impl EventProcessor {
                     },
                 },
             );
-        } else if let Some(ic) = wt.ime.borrow().get_context(window as XWindow) {
+        } else if let Some(ic) = wt
+            .ime
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|ime| ime.borrow().get_context(window as XWindow))
+        {
             let written = wt.xconn.lookup_utf8(ic, xev);
             if !written.is_empty() {
                 let event = Event::WindowEvent {
@@ -1191,10 +1200,11 @@ impl EventProcessor {
         // Set the timestamp.
         wt.xconn.set_timestamp(xev.time as xproto::Timestamp);
 
-        wt.ime
-            .borrow_mut()
-            .focus(xev.event)
-            .expect("Failed to focus input context");
+        if let Some(ime) = wt.ime.as_ref() {
+            ime.borrow_mut()
+                .focus(xev.event)
+                .expect("Failed to focus input context");
+        }
 
         if self.active_window == Some(window) {
             return;
@@ -1262,10 +1272,11 @@ impl EventProcessor {
             return;
         }
 
-        wt.ime
-            .borrow_mut()
-            .unfocus(xev.event)
-            .expect("Failed to unfocus input context");
+        if let Some(ime) = wt.ime.as_ref() {
+            ime.borrow_mut()
+                .unfocus(xev.event)
+                .expect("Failed to unfocus input context");
+        }
 
         if self.active_window.take() == Some(window) {
             let window_id = mkwid(window);
diff --git a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/mod.rs b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/mod.rs
index 4d733897a6..8f1db698ca 100644
--- a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/mod.rs
+++ b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/mod.rs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pub struct EventLoopWindowTarget {
     control_flow: Cell<ControlFlow>,
     exit: Cell<Option<i32>>,
     root: xproto::Window,
-    ime: RefCell<Ime>,
+    ime: Option<RefCell<Ime>>,
     windows: RefCell<HashMap<WindowId, Weak<UnownedWindow>>>,
     redraw_sender: WakeSender<WindowId>,
     activation_sender: WakeSender<ActivationToken>,
@@ -209,13 +209,15 @@ impl<T: 'static> EventLoop<T> {
                 setlocale(LC_CTYPE, default_locale);
             }
         }
-        let ime = RefCell::new({
-            let result = Ime::new(Arc::clone(&xconn), ime_event_sender);
-            if let Err(ImeCreationError::OpenFailure(ref state)) = result {
-                panic!("Failed to open input method: {state:#?}");
-            }
-            result.expect("Failed to set input method destruction callback")
-        });
+
+        let ime = Ime::new(Arc::clone(&xconn), ime_event_sender);
+        if let Err(ImeCreationError::OpenFailure(state)) = ime.as_ref() {
+            warn!("Failed to open input method: {state:#?}");
+        } else if let Err(err) = ime.as_ref() {
+            warn!("Failed to set input method destruction callback: {err:?}");
+        }
+
+        let ime = ime.ok().map(RefCell::new);
 
         let randr_event_offset = xconn
             .select_xrandr_input(root)
diff --git a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/window.rs b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/window.rs
index ecae94a08d..12eedb589a 100644
--- a/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/window.rs
+++ b/src/platform_impl/linux/x11/window.rs
@@ -555,9 +555,9 @@ impl UnownedWindow {
             leap!(xconn.select_xinput_events(window.xwindow, super::ALL_MASTER_DEVICES, mask))
                 .ignore_error();
 
-            {
-                let result = event_loop
-                    .ime
+            // Try to create input context for the window.
+            if let Some(ime) = event_loop.ime.as_ref() {
+                let result = ime
                     .borrow_mut()
                     .create_context(window.xwindow as ffi::Window, false);
                 leap!(result);