diff --git a/src/pam-module.c b/src/pam-module.c
index eba59f65f25..1658348e28e 100644
--- a/src/pam-module.c
+++ b/src/pam-module.c
@@ -382,6 +382,16 @@ _public_ PAM_EXTERN int pam_sm_open_session(
         remote_host = strempty(remote_host);
         seat = strempty(seat);
 
+        if (strchr(tty, ':')) {
+                /* A tty with a colon is usually an X11 display, place
+                 * there to show up in utmp. We rearrange things and
+                 * don't pretend that an X display was a tty */
+
+                if (isempty(display))
+                        display = tty;
+                tty = NULL;
+        }
+
         type = !isempty(display) ? "x11" :
                    !isempty(tty) ? "tty" : "other";