diff -up allegro-4.4.2/src/x/xwin.c~ allegro-4.4.2/src/x/xwin.c
--- allegro-4.4.2/src/x/xwin.c~	2015-06-23 11:04:53.000000000 +0200
+++ allegro-4.4.2/src/x/xwin.c	2015-06-23 11:09:33.010580738 +0200
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "xwin.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
 #include <X11/cursorfont.h>
@@ -736,6 +736,8 @@ static void _xwin_private_setup_driver_d
 static BITMAP *_xwin_private_create_screen(GFX_DRIVER *drv, int w, int h,
 					   int vw, int vh, int depth, int fullscreen)
 {
+   int i;
+
    if (_xwin.window == None) {
       ustrzcpy(allegro_error, ALLEGRO_ERROR_SIZE, get_config_text("No window"));
       return 0;
@@ -816,8 +818,20 @@ static BITMAP *_xwin_private_create_scre
       XReparentWindow(_xwin.display, _xwin.window, _xwin.fs_window, 0, 0);
 
       /* Grab the keyboard and mouse.  */
-      if (XGrabKeyboard(_xwin.display, XDefaultRootWindow(_xwin.display), False,
-			GrabModeAsync, GrabModeAsync, CurrentTime) != GrabSuccess) {
+
+      /*
+       * Sometimes the window-manager has grabbed the keyboard while it is
+       * starting an allegro app, so if grabing fails retry for 2 seconds
+       * before giving up.
+       */
+      for (i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
+         if (XGrabKeyboard(_xwin.display, XDefaultRootWindow(_xwin.display), False,
+			   GrabModeAsync, GrabModeAsync, CurrentTime) == GrabSuccess)
+            break;
+
+         usleep(100000); /* Sleep 100 ms before retrying */
+      }
+      if (i == 20) {
 	 ustrzcpy(allegro_error, ALLEGRO_ERROR_SIZE, get_config_text("Can not grab keyboard"));
 	 return 0;
       }