diff --git a/eekboard/eekboard-context-service.c b/eekboard/eekboard-context-service.c
index 36fd62bb..6e46f0f8 100644
--- a/eekboard/eekboard-context-service.c
+++ b/eekboard/eekboard-context-service.c
@@ -139,14 +139,8 @@ eekboard_context_service_set_property (GObject      *object,
                                        const GValue *value,
                                        GParamSpec   *pspec)
 {
-    EekboardContextService *context = EEKBOARD_CONTEXT_SERVICE(object);
-
+    (void)value;
     switch (prop_id) {
-    case PROP_KEYBOARD:
-        if (context->priv->keyboard)
-            g_object_unref (context->priv->keyboard);
-        context->priv->keyboard = g_value_get_object (value);
-        break;
     default:
         G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
         break;
@@ -231,6 +225,11 @@ eekboard_context_service_update_layout(EekboardContextService *context, enum squ
 
     g_object_notify (G_OBJECT(context), "keyboard");
 
+    // The keymap will get set even if the window is hidden.
+    // It's not perfect,
+    // but simpler than adding a check in the window showing procedure
+    eekboard_context_service_set_keymap(context, keyboard);
+
     // replacing the keyboard above will cause the previous keyboard to get destroyed from the UI side (eek_gtk_keyboard_dispose)
     if (previous_keyboard) {
         level_keyboard_free(previous_keyboard);
@@ -338,7 +337,7 @@ eekboard_context_service_class_init (EekboardContextServiceClass *klass)
     pspec = g_param_spec_pointer("keyboard",
                                  "Keyboard",
                                  "Keyboard",
-                                 G_PARAM_READWRITE);
+                                 G_PARAM_READABLE);
     g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class,
                                      PROP_KEYBOARD,
                                      pspec);
diff --git a/src/server-context-service.c b/src/server-context-service.c
index 16a1e7eb..1cacb37d 100644
--- a/src/server-context-service.c
+++ b/src/server-context-service.c
@@ -78,17 +78,6 @@ on_notify_keyboard (GObject              *object,
                     GParamSpec           *spec,
                     ServerContextService *context)
 {
-    const LevelKeyboard *keyboard = eekboard_context_service_get_keyboard (EEKBOARD_CONTEXT_SERVICE(context));
-
-    if (!keyboard)
-        g_error("Programmer error: keyboard layout was unset!");
-
-    // The keymap will get set even if the window is hidden.
-    // It's not perfect,
-    // but simpler than adding a check in the window showing procedure
-    eekboard_context_service_set_keymap(EEKBOARD_CONTEXT_SERVICE(context),
-                                        keyboard);
-
     /* Recreate the keyboard widget to keep in sync with the keymap. */
     if (context->window)
         make_widget(context);