diff --git a/src/xpra/server/shadow_server_base.py b/src/xpra/server/shadow_server_base.py
index 8774daf7af..0e05ef4476 100644
--- a/src/xpra/server/shadow_server_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/server/shadow_server_base.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ def __init__(self, root_window):
         self.dynamic_property_names = []
         self.internal_property_names = []
 
+    def suspend(self):
+        pass
+
     def is_managed(self):
         return True
 
@@ -250,6 +253,7 @@ def _process_unmap_window(self, proto, packet):
         for ss in self._server_sources.values():
             ss.unmap_window(wid, window)
         self.mapped_at = None
+        self.root_window_model.suspend()
 
     def _process_configure_window(self, proto, packet):
         wid, x, y, w, h = packet[1:6]
diff --git a/src/xpra/x11/bindings/ximage.pyx b/src/xpra/x11/bindings/ximage.pyx
index bd0d5a5a49..cb57d40158 100644
--- a/src/xpra/x11/bindings/ximage.pyx
+++ b/src/xpra/x11/bindings/ximage.pyx
@@ -507,12 +507,12 @@ cdef class XShmWrapper(object):
     def get_size(self):                                     #@DuplicatedSignature
         return self.width, self.height
 
-    def get_image(self, Pixmap xpixmap, int x, int y, int w, int h):
+    def get_image(self, Drawable drawable, int x, int y, int w, int h):
         assert self.image!=NULL, "cannot retrieve image wrapper: XImage is NULL!"
         if self.closed:
             return None
         if x>=self.width or y>=self.height:
-            xshmlog("XShmWrapper.get_image%s position outside image dimensions %ix%i", (xpixmap, x, y, w, h), self.width, self.height)
+            xshmlog("XShmWrapper.get_image%s position outside image dimensions %ix%i", (drawable, x, y, w, h), self.width, self.height)
             return None
         #clamp size to image size:
         if x+w>self.width:
@@ -520,8 +520,8 @@ cdef class XShmWrapper(object):
         if y+h>self.height:
             h = self.height-y
         if not self.got_image:
-            if not XShmGetImage(self.display, xpixmap, self.image, 0, 0, 0xFFFFFFFF):
-                xshmlog("XShmWrapper.get_image(%#x, %i, %i, %i, %i) XShmGetImage failed!", xpixmap, x, y, w, h)
+            if not XShmGetImage(self.display, drawable, self.image, 0, 0, 0xFFFFFFFF):
+                xshmlog("XShmWrapper.get_image(%#x, %i, %i, %i, %i) XShmGetImage failed!", drawable, x, y, w, h)
                 return None
             self.got_image = True
         self.ref_count += 1
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ cdef class XShmWrapper(object):
         imageWrapper = XShmImageWrapper(x, y, w, h)
         imageWrapper.set_image(self.image)
         imageWrapper.set_free_callback(self.free_image_callback)
-        xshmdebug("XShmWrapper.get_image(%#x, %i, %i, %i, %i)=%s (ref_count=%i)", xpixmap, x, y, w, h, imageWrapper, self.ref_count)
+        xshmdebug("XShmWrapper.get_image(%#x, %i, %i, %i, %i)=%s (ref_count=%i)", drawable, x, y, w, h, imageWrapper, self.ref_count)
         return imageWrapper
 
     def discard(self):
@@ -725,8 +725,8 @@ cdef class XImageBindings(X11CoreBindings):
         xshm.init(self.display, xwindow, attrs.visual, attrs.width, attrs.height, attrs.depth)
         return xshm
 
-    def get_ximage(self, xpixmap, x, y, width, height):      #@DuplicatedSignature
-        return get_image(self.display, xpixmap, x, y, width, height)
+    def get_ximage(self, drawable, x, y, width, height):      #@DuplicatedSignature
+        return get_image(self.display, drawable, x, y, width, height)
 
     def get_xcomposite_pixmap(self, xwindow):
         return xcomposite_name_window_pixmap(self.display, xwindow)
diff --git a/src/xpra/x11/shadow_x11_server.py b/src/xpra/x11/shadow_x11_server.py
index 06d85a11f0..4bf671ef0c 100644
--- a/src/xpra/x11/shadow_x11_server.py
+++ b/src/xpra/x11/shadow_x11_server.py
@@ -4,18 +4,67 @@
 # Xpra is released under the terms of the GNU GPL v2, or, at your option, any
 # later version. See the file COPYING for details.
 
+import os, time
 
 from xpra.gtk_common.gtk_util import get_xwindow, get_default_root_window
 from xpra.x11.x11_server_base import X11ServerBase
 from xpra.server.shadow_server_base import ShadowServerBase
 from xpra.server.gtk_root_window_model import GTKRootWindowModel
+from xpra.x11.bindings.ximage import XImageBindings     #@UnresolvedImport
+from xpra.gtk_common.error import xsync
+XImage = XImageBindings()
+
+from xpra.log import Logger
+log = Logger("x11", "shadow")
+
+USE_XSHM = os.environ.get("XPRA_XSHM", "1")=="1"
 
 
 class GTKX11RootWindowModel(GTKRootWindowModel):
 
+    def __init__(self, root_window):
+        GTKRootWindowModel.__init__(self, root_window)
+        self.xshm = None
+
     def __repr__(self):
         return "GTKX11RootWindowModel(%#x)" % get_xwindow(self.window)
 
+    def suspend(self):
+        #we can cleanup the current xshm area and we'll create a new one later
+        self.cleanup()
+
+    def cleanup(self):
+        if self.xshm:
+            with xsync:
+                self.xshm.cleanup()
+            self.xshm = None
+
+
+    def get_image(self, x, y, width, height, logger=None):
+        try:
+            start = time.time()
+            with xsync:
+                if USE_XSHM:
+                    log("X11 shadow get_image, xshm=%s", self.xshm)
+                    if self.xshm is None:
+                        self.xshm = XImage.get_XShmWrapper(get_xwindow(self.window))
+                        self.xshm.setup()
+                    if self.xshm:
+                        image = self.xshm.get_image(get_xwindow(self.window), x, y, width, height)
+                        #discard to ensure we will call XShmGetImage next time around
+                        self.xshm.discard()
+                        return image
+                #fallback to gtk capture:
+                return GTKRootWindowModel.get_image(self, x, y, width, height, logger)
+        except Exception as e:
+            log.warn("Warning: failed to capture root window pixels:")
+            log.warn(" %s", e)
+            #cleanup and hope for the best!
+            self.cleanup()
+        finally:
+            end = time.time()
+            log("X11 shadow captured %s pixels at %i MPixels/s using %s", width*height, (width*height/(end-start))//1024//1024, ["GTK", "XSHM"][USE_XSHM])
+
 
 class ShadowX11Server(ShadowServerBase, X11ServerBase):