diff --git a/input-capture/src/error.rs b/input-capture/src/error.rs
index d7eec5d..e174c72 100644
--- a/input-capture/src/error.rs
+++ b/input-capture/src/error.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use ashpd::desktop::ResponseError;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 #[cfg(all(unix, feature = "wayland", not(target_os = "macos")))]
@@ -69,6 +70,18 @@ pub enum CaptureCreationError {
     Windows,
 }
 
+impl CaptureCreationError {
+    /// request was intentionally denied by the user
+    pub(crate) fn cancelled_by_user(&self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            CaptureCreationError::Libei(LibeiCaptureCreationError::Ashpd(
+                ashpd::Error::Response(ResponseError::Cancelled),
+            )) => true,
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(all(unix, feature = "libei", not(target_os = "macos")))]
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum LibeiCaptureCreationError {
diff --git a/input-capture/src/lib.rs b/input-capture/src/lib.rs
index 2f23017..6b116f2 100644
--- a/input-capture/src/lib.rs
+++ b/input-capture/src/lib.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ pub async fn create(
                 log::info!("using capture backend: {backend}");
                 return Ok(b);
             }
+            Err(e) if e.cancelled_by_user() => return Err(e),
             Err(e) => log::warn!("{backend} input capture backend unavailable: {e}"),
         }
     }
diff --git a/input-emulation/src/error.rs b/input-emulation/src/error.rs
index 8695777..cbf64d5 100644
--- a/input-emulation/src/error.rs
+++ b/input-emulation/src/error.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use ashpd::{desktop::ResponseError, Error::Response};
 #[cfg(all(unix, feature = "libei", not(target_os = "macos")))]
 use reis::tokio::EiConvertEventStreamError;
 use std::io;
@@ -75,6 +76,21 @@ pub enum EmulationCreationError {
     NoAvailableBackend,
 }
 
+impl EmulationCreationError {
+    /// request was intentionally denied by the user
+    pub(crate) fn cancelled_by_user(&self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            EmulationCreationError::Libei(LibeiEmulationCreationError::Ashpd(Response(
+                ResponseError::Cancelled,
+            )))
+            | EmulationCreationError::Xdp(XdpEmulationCreationError::Ashpd(Response(
+                ResponseError::Cancelled,
+            ))) => true,
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(all(unix, feature = "wayland", not(target_os = "macos")))]
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum WlrootsEmulationCreationError {
diff --git a/input-emulation/src/lib.rs b/input-emulation/src/lib.rs
index 34155e5..3e7d0cd 100644
--- a/input-emulation/src/lib.rs
+++ b/input-emulation/src/lib.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ pub async fn create(
                 log::info!("using emulation backend: {backend}");
                 return Ok(b);
             }
+            Err(e) if e.cancelled_by_user() => return Err(e),
             Err(e) => log::warn!("{e}"),
         }
     }
diff --git a/input-emulation/src/libei.rs b/input-emulation/src/libei.rs
index afea9fe..06510f0 100644
--- a/input-emulation/src/libei.rs
+++ b/input-emulation/src/libei.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
 use ashpd::{
     desktop::{
         remote_desktop::{DeviceType, RemoteDesktop},
-        ResponseError, Session,
+        Session,
     },
     WindowIdentifier,
 };
@@ -74,30 +74,19 @@ pub struct LibeiEmulation<'a> {
 async fn get_ei_fd<'a>() -> Result<(RemoteDesktop<'a>, Session<'a>, OwnedFd), ashpd::Error> {
     let remote_desktop = RemoteDesktop::new().await?;
 
-    // retry when user presses the cancel button
-    let (session, _) = loop {
-        log::debug!("creating session ...");
-        let session = remote_desktop.create_session().await?;
+    log::debug!("creating session ...");
+    let session = remote_desktop.create_session().await?;
 
-        log::debug!("selecting devices ...");
-        remote_desktop
-            .select_devices(&session, DeviceType::Keyboard | DeviceType::Pointer)
-            .await?;
+    log::debug!("selecting devices ...");
+    remote_desktop
+        .select_devices(&session, DeviceType::Keyboard | DeviceType::Pointer)
+        .await?;
 
-        log::info!("requesting permission for input emulation");
-        match remote_desktop
-            .start(&session, &WindowIdentifier::default())
-            .await?
-            .response()
-        {
-            Ok(d) => break (session, d),
-            Err(ashpd::Error::Response(ResponseError::Cancelled)) => {
-                log::warn!("request cancelled!");
-                continue;
-            }
-            e => e?,
-        };
-    };
+    log::info!("requesting permission for input emulation");
+    let _devices = remote_desktop
+        .start(&session, &WindowIdentifier::default())
+        .await?
+        .response()?;
 
     let fd = remote_desktop.connect_to_eis(&session).await?;
     Ok((remote_desktop, session, fd))
diff --git a/input-emulation/src/xdg_desktop_portal.rs b/input-emulation/src/xdg_desktop_portal.rs
index b95522b..61b0fa8 100644
--- a/input-emulation/src/xdg_desktop_portal.rs
+++ b/input-emulation/src/xdg_desktop_portal.rs
@@ -29,29 +29,19 @@ impl<'a> DesktopPortalEmulation<'a> {
         let proxy = RemoteDesktop::new().await?;
 
         // retry when user presses the cancel button
-        let (session, _) = loop {
-            log::debug!("creating session ...");
-            let session = proxy.create_session().await?;
+        log::debug!("creating session ...");
+        let session = proxy.create_session().await?;
 
-            log::debug!("selecting devices ...");
-            proxy
-                .select_devices(&session, DeviceType::Keyboard | DeviceType::Pointer)
-                .await?;
+        log::debug!("selecting devices ...");
+        proxy
+            .select_devices(&session, DeviceType::Keyboard | DeviceType::Pointer)
+            .await?;
 
-            log::info!("requesting permission for input emulation");
-            match proxy
-                .start(&session, &WindowIdentifier::default())
-                .await?
-                .response()
-            {
-                Ok(d) => break (session, d),
-                Err(ashpd::Error::Response(ResponseError::Cancelled)) => {
-                    log::warn!("request cancelled!");
-                    continue;
-                }
-                e => e?,
-            };
-        };
+        log::info!("requesting permission for input emulation");
+        let _devices = proxy
+            .start(&session, &WindowIdentifier::default())
+            .await?
+            .response()?;
 
         log::debug!("started session");
         let session = session;