diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/media/vlcplayer.py b/openlp/core/ui/media/vlcplayer.py
index 8c2359faf..56f2b976c 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/media/vlcplayer.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/media/vlcplayer.py
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ def get_vlc():
             pass
         else:
             raise
-
     if is_vlc_available:
         try:
             VERSION = vlc.libvlc_get_version().decode('UTF-8')
@@ -95,21 +94,24 @@ def get_vlc():
         if LooseVersion(VERSION.split()[0]) < LooseVersion('1.1.0'):
             is_vlc_available = False
             log.debug('VLC could not be loaded, because the vlc version is too old: %s' % VERSION)
-        # On linux we need to initialise X threads, but not when running tests.
-        if is_vlc_available and is_linux() and 'nose' not in sys.argv[0]:
-            import ctypes
-            try:
-                x11 = ctypes.cdll.LoadLibrary('libX11.so')
-                x11.XInitThreads()
-            except:
-                log.exception('Failed to run XInitThreads(), VLC might not work properly!')
-
     if is_vlc_available:
         return vlc
     else:
         return None
 
 
+# On linux we need to initialise X threads, but not when running tests.
+# This needs to happen on module load and not in get_vlc(), otherwise it can cause crashes on some DE on some setups
+# (reported on Gnome3, Unity, Cinnamon, all GTK+ based) when using native filedialogs...
+if get_vlc() and is_linux() and 'nose' not in sys.argv[0]:
+    import ctypes
+    try:
+        x11 = ctypes.cdll.LoadLibrary('libX11.so')
+        x11.XInitThreads()
+    except:
+        log.exception('Failed to run XInitThreads(), VLC might not work properly!')
+
+
 class VlcPlayer(MediaPlayer):
     """
     A specialised version of the MediaPlayer class, which provides a VLC display.