diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstance.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstance.cxx
index f1c8ccc166..6b682d3ac2 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstance.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstance.cxx
@@ -201,9 +201,8 @@ set_wparams(const P3DWindowParams &wparams) {
   if (!_instance_window_opened && _got_fparams) {
     if (_splash_window == NULL) {
       make_splash_window();
-    } else {
-      _splash_window->set_wparams(_wparams);
     }
+    _splash_window->set_wparams(_wparams);
   }
 
   // Update the instance in the sub-process.
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dPythonRun.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/p3dPythonRun.cxx
index 5721130c74..266f12fd6f 100755
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dPythonRun.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dPythonRun.cxx
@@ -1026,10 +1026,11 @@ setup_window(P3DCInstance *inst, TiXmlElement *xwparams) {
   }
 
 #elif defined(HAVE_X11)
-  // Bad! Casting to int loses precision.
-  int xwindow;
-  if (xwparams->Attribute("parent_xwindow", &xwindow)) {
-    parent_window_handle = (long)xwindow;
+  // Use stringstream to decode the "long" attribute.
+  const char *parent_cstr = xwparams->Attribute("parent_xwindow");
+  if (parent_cstr != NULL) {
+    istringstream strm(parent_cstr);
+    strm >> parent_window_handle;
   }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dWindowParams.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/p3dWindowParams.cxx
index 51c1d18b69..65a950b686 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dWindowParams.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dWindowParams.cxx
@@ -84,7 +84,13 @@ make_xml() {
     // The subprocess_window setting is applied by the caller.
 
 #elif defined(HAVE_X11)
-    xwparams->SetAttribute("parent_xwindow", (unsigned long)_parent_window._xwindow);
+    // TinyXml doesn't support a "long" attribute.  We'll use
+    // stringstream to do it ourselves.
+    {
+      ostringstream strm;
+      strm << _parent_window._xwindow;
+      xwparams->SetAttribute("parent_xwindow", strm.str());
+    }
 #endif
     break;
 
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.cxx
index a8b632c751..4b03f9d8b0 100755
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.cxx
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ P3DX11SplashWindow(P3DInstance *inst) :
   _image_filename_temp = false;
   _install_label_changed = false;
   _install_progress = 0.0;
-
-  start_subprocess();
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -76,6 +74,22 @@ P3DX11SplashWindow::
   stop_subprocess();
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: P3DX11SplashWindow::set_wparams
+//       Access: Public, Virtual
+//  Description: Changes the window parameters, e.g. to resize or
+//               reposition the window; or sets the parameters for the
+//               first time, creating the initial window.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void P3DX11SplashWindow::
+set_wparams(const P3DWindowParams &wparams) {
+  P3DSplashWindow::set_wparams(wparams);
+
+  if (_subprocess_pid == -1) {
+    start_subprocess();
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: P3DX11SplashWindow::set_image_filename
 //       Access: Public, Virtual
@@ -402,7 +416,7 @@ subprocess_run() {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void P3DX11SplashWindow::
 receive_command() {
-  TiXmlDocument *doc = read_xml(_pipe_read, cerr);
+  TiXmlDocument *doc = read_xml(_pipe_read, nout);
   if (doc == NULL) {
     // Pipe closed or something.
     _subprocess_continue = false;
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.h b/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.h
index 22c56d3d6d..1f3486097a 100755
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.h
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dX11SplashWindow.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ public:
   P3DX11SplashWindow(P3DInstance *inst);
   virtual ~P3DX11SplashWindow();
 
+  virtual void set_wparams(const P3DWindowParams &wparams);
   virtual void set_image_filename(const string &image_filename,
                                   bool image_filename_temp);
   virtual void set_install_label(const string &install_label);