diff --git a/xkb/xkbInit.c b/xkb/xkbInit.c
index c0afad026..3b47396e5 100644
--- a/xkb/xkbInit.c
+++ b/xkb/xkbInit.c
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ Atom		unknown;
             names->vmods[vmod_AltGr]= CREATE_ATOM("ModeSwitch");
     }
 
-    if (!(xkb->defined & XkmIndicatorsMask)) {
+    if (!(xkb->defined & XkmIndicatorsMask) ||
+        !(xkb->defined & XkmGeometryMask)) {
         initIndicatorNames(NULL,xkb);
         if (names->indicators[LED_CAPS-1]==None)
             names->indicators[LED_CAPS-1] = CREATE_ATOM("Caps Lock");
@@ -531,10 +532,10 @@ XkbEventCauseRec	cause;
 	XkbDDXInitDevice(pXDev);
 
         if (xkb->defined & XkmSymbolsMask)
+            XkbUpdateCoreDescription(pXDev, True);
+        else
             XkbUpdateKeyTypesFromCore(pXDev, xkb->min_key_code,
                                       XkbNumKeys(xkb), &changes);
-        else
-            XkbUpdateCoreDescription(pXDev, True);
 
 	XkbSetCauseUnknown(&cause);
 	XkbUpdateActions(pXDev,xkb->min_key_code, XkbNumKeys(xkb),&changes,
diff --git a/xkb/xkbfmisc.c b/xkb/xkbfmisc.c
index 866b4b154..ae752e945 100644
--- a/xkb/xkbfmisc.c
+++ b/xkb/xkbfmisc.c
@@ -184,9 +184,27 @@ unsigned	wantNames,wantConfig,wantDflts;
     if (want==0)
 	return False;
 
-    if (xkb!=NULL)
-	 old_names= xkb->names;
-    else old_names= NULL;
+    if (xkb) {
+        old_names = xkb->names;
+
+        xkb->defined = 0;
+        /* Wow would it ever be neat if we didn't need this noise. */
+        if (xkb->names && xkb->names->keys)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmKeyNamesMask;
+        if (xkb->map && xkb->map->types)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmTypesMask;
+        if (xkb->compat)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmCompatMapMask;
+        if (xkb->map && xkb->map->num_syms)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmSymbolsMask;
+        if (xkb->indicators)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmIndicatorsMask;
+        if (xkb->geom)
+            xkb->defined |= XkmGeometryMask;
+    }
+    else {
+        old_names= NULL;
+    }
 
     wantConfig= want&(~complete);
     if (xkb!=NULL) {