diff --git a/autoload/vimtex/options.vim b/autoload/vimtex/options.vim
index 52df80a90b..540fa657bb 100644
--- a/autoload/vimtex/options.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimtex/options.vim
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ function! vimtex#options#init() abort " {{{1
 
   call s:init_option('vimtex_view_enabled', 1)
   call s:init_option('vimtex_view_automatic', 1)
+  call s:init_option('vimtex_view_automatic_xwin', 1)
   call s:init_option('vimtex_view_method', 'general')
   call s:init_option('vimtex_view_use_temp_files', 0)
   call s:init_option('vimtex_view_forward_search_on_start', 1)
diff --git a/autoload/vimtex/view/_template_xwin.vim b/autoload/vimtex/view/_template_xwin.vim
index 2cadf5237c..1102efeb10 100644
--- a/autoload/vimtex/view/_template_xwin.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimtex/view/_template_xwin.vim
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ function! vimtex#view#_template_xwin#compiler_callback() abort " {{{1
   let self = b:vimtex.viewer
   if !filereadable(self.out()) | return | endif
 
-  if g:vimtex_view_automatic && !has_key(self, 'started_through_callback')
+  if (g:vimtex_view_automatic
+        \ && g:vimtex_view_automatic_xwin)
+        \ && !has_key(self, 'started_through_callback')
     "
     " Search for existing window created by latexmk
     " Note: It may be necessary to wait some time before it is opened and
diff --git a/doc/vimtex.txt b/doc/vimtex.txt
index 891b7d23fa..33c9ca3f33 100644
--- a/doc/vimtex.txt
+++ b/doc/vimtex.txt
@@ -2564,17 +2564,39 @@ OPTIONS                                                        *vimtex-options*
   Default value: 1
 
 *g:vimtex_view_automatic*
-  If enabled, the viewer will open automatically when compilation has started
-  in `continuous` mode and if `callback` is enabled, or if `continuous` mode
-  is disabled.
+  If enabled, the viewer should open automatically when compilation has
+  started in `continuous` mode and if `callback` is enabled, or if
+  `continuous` mode is disabled.
 
   `latexmk` will typically start the viewer directly. However, with this
-  option enabled, VimTeX will start the viewer through callbacks for these
-  compilers:
+  option enabled, VimTeX will start the viewer through callbacks also for
+  these compilers:
   * |vimtex-compiler-latexrun|
   * |vimtex-compiler-arara|
   * |vimtex-compiler-tectonic|
 
+  Note: If you are using |vimtex_viewer_mupdf| or |vimtex_viewer_zathura|,
+        then you should also be aware of the related option
+        |g:vimtex_view_automatic_xwin| below.
+
+  Default value: 1
+
+*g:vimtex_view_automatic_xwin*
+  This option is closely related to |g:vimtex_view_automatic|. With the
+  previous option enabled, the xwin based viewers |vimtex_viewer_mupdf| and
+  |vimtex_viewer_zathura| will use `xdotool` to check if a viewer was opened
+  by the compiler. If a viewer window is not found, VimTeX will automatically
+  start one.
+
+  However, the search for a viewer window is implemented with a loop that
+  calls `xdotool` 30 times with 50 ms interval. If a window is not found, the
+  search will therefore interrupt the editing session for 1.5 seconds; this
+  happens on every successful compile callback.
+
+  Some users can't use `xdotool`, e.g. on Wayland, but the viewers may still
+  work quite reliably. In these cases, one may want to disable this automatic
+  view feature by setting this option to 0.
+
   Default value: 1
 
 *g:vimtex_view_use_temp_files*
@@ -2748,7 +2770,7 @@ OPTIONS                                                        *vimtex-options*
       for viewing any PDF file. The VimTeX implementation supports forward
       search and uses a callback to update Skim after successful compilations.
 
-      Note: One may set |g:vimtex_view_automatic| to 1 if one wants to prevent
+      Note: One may set |g:vimtex_view_automatic| to 0 if one wants to prevent
             `latexmk` (or other build tools) from starting Skim and instead
             let VimTeX start Skim through the callback feature.
 
@@ -4536,9 +4558,9 @@ LATEXRUN                                             *vimtex-compiler-latexrun*
 > format, and generally enables other tools to do what they do best.
 
 `latexrun` is a compiler backend that handles recompilation of LaTeX documents
-when source files have been changed.  However, it is a much simpler backend,
+when source files have been changed. However, it is a much simpler backend,
 and does not support e.g. continuous mode and automatic starting of viewers.
-The latter is supported by VimTeX, though, through the callback.  See
+The latter is supported by VimTeX, though, through the callback. See
 |g:vimtex_view_automatic|.
 
 The compiler may be configured through the |g:vimtex_compiler_latexrun| option.
@@ -4806,6 +4828,7 @@ viewer is opened.
 Associated settings:
 * |g:vimtex_view_enabled|
 * |g:vimtex_view_automatic|
+* |g:vimtex_view_automatic_xwin|
 * |g:vimtex_view_forward_search_on_start|
 * |g:vimtex_view_use_temp_files|
 * |g:vimtex_view_method|