diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_bumpmap.c b/src/bin/imlib2_bumpmap.c
index 3722ed2..2891643 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_bumpmap.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_bumpmap.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    int                 i, j, w, h, x, y;
    Imlib_Image         im = NULL, im_bg = NULL;
    XEvent              ev;
+   const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
 
    /**
     * Initialization according to options
@@ -43,7 +44,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    /**
     * First tests to determine which rendering task to perform
     */
-   disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+   if (display_name == NULL)
+       display_name = ":0";
+   disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+   if (disp == NULL)
+     {
+       fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+       return 1;
+     }
    vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    depth = DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    cm = DefaultColormap(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_colorspace.c b/src/bin/imlib2_colorspace.c
index 44bc3fa..dfe3418 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_colorspace.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_colorspace.c
@@ -29,11 +29,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    static char         kbuf[20];
    Imlib_Font          font;
    Imlib_Color_Range   range;
+   const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
 
    /**
     * First tests to determine which rendering task to perform
     */
-   disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+   if (display_name == NULL)
+       display_name = ":0";
+   disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+   if (disp == NULL)
+     {
+       fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+       return 1;
+     }
    vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    depth = DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    cm = DefaultColormap(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_poly.c b/src/bin/imlib2_poly.c
index a684761..47e6faa 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_poly.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_poly.c
@@ -28,11 +28,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    KeySym              keysym;
    static char         kbuf[20];
    ImlibPolygon        poly, poly1, poly2;
+   const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
 
    /**
     * First tests to determine which rendering task to perform
     */
-   disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+   if (display_name == NULL)
+       display_name = ":0";
+   disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+   if (disp == NULL)
+     {
+       fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+       return 1;
+     }
    vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    depth = DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    cm = DefaultColormap(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_show.c b/src/bin/imlib2_show.c
index 6318bb0..b1ae6e0 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_show.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_show.c
@@ -264,7 +264,15 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     */
    if (!blendtest)
      {
-        disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+        const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
+        if (display_name == NULL)
+            display_name = ":0";
+        disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+        if (disp == NULL)
+          {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+            return 1;
+          }
         vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
         depth = DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
         cm = DefaultColormap(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_test.c b/src/bin/imlib2_test.c
index f823fa8..9495b03 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_test.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_test.c
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 /* include Imlib2 stuff */
 #include <Imlib2.h>
-/* sprintf include */
+/* needed for sprintf and fprintf */
 #include <stdio.h>
+/* needed for getenv */
+#include <stdlib.h>
 
 /* some globals for our window & X display */
 Display            *disp;
@@ -35,8 +37,17 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    /* our mouse x, y coordinates */
    int                 mouse_x = 0, mouse_y = 0;
 
+   const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
+
    /* connect to X */
-   disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+   if (display_name == NULL)
+       display_name = ":0";
+   disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+   if (disp == NULL)
+     {
+       fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+       return 1;
+     }
    /* get default visual , colormap etc. you could ask imlib2 for what it */
    /* thinks is the best, but this example is intended to be simple */
    vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
diff --git a/src/bin/imlib2_view.c b/src/bin/imlib2_view.c
index f3c7666..72bf2ed 100644
--- a/src/bin/imlib2_view.c
+++ b/src/bin/imlib2_view.c
@@ -101,12 +101,20 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    Imlib_Image        *im = NULL;
    char               *file = NULL;
    int                 no = 1;
+   const char         *display_name = getenv("DISPLAY");
 
    if (argc < 2)
       return 1;
 
    file = argv[no];
-   disp = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
+   if (display_name == NULL)
+       display_name = ":0";
+   disp = XOpenDisplay(display_name);
+   if (disp == NULL)
+     {
+       fprintf(stderr, "Can't open display %s\n", display_name);
+       return 1;
+     }
    vis = DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    depth = DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));
    cm = DefaultColormap(disp, DefaultScreen(disp));