diff --git a/swaybar/bar.c b/swaybar/bar.c
index f1a701b9..d51c4ec7 100644
--- a/swaybar/bar.c
+++ b/swaybar/bar.c
@@ -264,6 +264,19 @@ struct wl_output_listener output_listener = {
 	.scale = output_scale,
 };
 
+static bool bar_uses_output(struct swaybar *bar, size_t output_index) {
+	if (bar->config->all_outputs) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	struct config_output *coutput;
+	wl_list_for_each(coutput, &bar->config->outputs, link) {
+		if (coutput->index == output_index) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
 static void handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry,
 		uint32_t name, const char *interface, uint32_t version) {
 	struct swaybar *bar = data;
@@ -278,19 +291,22 @@ static void handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry,
 		bar->shm = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
 				&wl_shm_interface, 1);
 	} else if (strcmp(interface, wl_output_interface.name) == 0) {
-		static size_t index = 0;
-		struct swaybar_output *output =
-			calloc(1, sizeof(struct swaybar_output));
-		output->bar = bar;
-		output->output = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
-				&wl_output_interface, 3);
-		wl_output_add_listener(output->output, &output_listener, output);
-		output->scale = 1;
-		output->index = index++;
-		output->wl_name = name;
-		wl_list_init(&output->workspaces);
-		wl_list_init(&output->hotspots);
-		wl_list_insert(&bar->outputs, &output->link);
+		static size_t output_index = 0;
+		if (bar_uses_output(bar, output_index)) {
+			struct swaybar_output *output =
+				calloc(1, sizeof(struct swaybar_output));
+			output->bar = bar;
+			output->output = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
+					&wl_output_interface, 3);
+			wl_output_add_listener(output->output, &output_listener, output);
+			output->scale = 1;
+			output->index = output_index;
+			output->wl_name = name;
+			wl_list_init(&output->workspaces);
+			wl_list_init(&output->hotspots);
+			wl_list_insert(&bar->outputs, &output->link);
+		}
+		++output_index;
 	} else if (strcmp(interface, zwlr_layer_shell_v1_interface.name) == 0) {
 		bar->layer_shell = wl_registry_bind(
 				registry, name, &zwlr_layer_shell_v1_interface, 1);
@@ -362,26 +378,24 @@ void bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
 	pointer->cursor_surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor);
 	assert(pointer->cursor_surface);
 
-	// TODO: we might not necessarily be meant to do all of the outputs
 	wl_list_for_each(output, &bar->outputs, link) {
 		struct config_output *coutput;
 		wl_list_for_each(coutput, &bar->config->outputs, link) {
-			if (coutput->index != output->index) {
-				continue;
+			if (coutput->index == output->index) {
+				output->name = strdup(coutput->name);
+				break;
 			}
-			output->name = strdup(coutput->name);
-			output->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor);
-			assert(output->surface);
-			output->layer_surface = zwlr_layer_shell_v1_get_layer_surface(
-					bar->layer_shell, output->surface, output->output,
-					ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM, "panel");
-			assert(output->layer_surface);
-			zwlr_layer_surface_v1_add_listener(output->layer_surface,
-					&layer_surface_listener, output);
-			zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_anchor(output->layer_surface,
-					bar->config->position);
-			break;
 		}
+		output->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor);
+		assert(output->surface);
+		output->layer_surface = zwlr_layer_shell_v1_get_layer_surface(
+				bar->layer_shell, output->surface, output->output,
+				ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM, "panel");
+		assert(output->layer_surface);
+		zwlr_layer_surface_v1_add_listener(output->layer_surface,
+				&layer_surface_listener, output);
+		zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_anchor(output->layer_surface,
+				bar->config->position);
 	}
 	ipc_get_workspaces(bar);
 	render_all_frames(bar);