diff --git a/hw/xnest/meson.build b/hw/xnest/meson.build
index ef260a13ae..c1095552f0 100644
--- a/hw/xnest/meson.build
+++ b/hw/xnest/meson.build
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ executable(
         libxserver_xi_stubs,
         libxserver_xkb_stubs,
     ],
+    c_args: [ '-DDISABLE_EXT_COMPOSITE', '-DDISABLE_EXT_DPMS', '-DISABLE_EXT_MITSHM' ],
     install: true,
 )
 
diff --git a/mi/miinitext.c b/mi/miinitext.c
index 3af6145b46..0ebf76bc8e 100644
--- a/mi/miinitext.c
+++ b/mi/miinitext.c
@@ -79,6 +79,19 @@ SOFTWARE.
 
 #include "miext/extinit_priv.h"
 
+/* some DDXes must explicitly prohibit some extensions */
+#ifdef DISABLE_EXT_COMPOSITE
+#undef COMPOSITE
+#endif
+
+#ifdef DISABLE_EXT_DPMS
+#undef DPMSExtension
+#endif
+
+#ifdef DISABLE_EXT_MITSHM
+#undef MITSHM
+#endif
+
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "extension.h"
 #include "micmap.h"