diff --git a/include/sway/output.h b/include/sway/output.h
index 2aa1b278..04202976 100644
--- a/include/sway/output.h
+++ b/include/sway/output.h
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ void output_damage_box(struct sway_output *output, struct wlr_box *box);
 void output_damage_whole_container(struct sway_output *output,
 	struct sway_container *con);
 
+bool output_match_name_or_id(struct sway_output *output,
+	const char *name_or_id);
+
 // this ONLY includes the enabled outputs
 struct sway_output *output_by_name_or_id(const char *name_or_id);
 
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index 352d7f7c..45d2441b 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -722,12 +722,11 @@ void apply_output_config_to_outputs(struct output_config *oc) {
 	// this is during startup then there will be no container and config
 	// will be applied during normal "new output" event from wlroots.
 	bool wildcard = strcmp(oc->name, "*") == 0;
-	char id[128];
 	struct sway_output *sway_output, *tmp;
 	wl_list_for_each_safe(sway_output, tmp, &root->all_outputs, link) {
-		char *name = sway_output->wlr_output->name;
-		output_get_identifier(id, sizeof(id), sway_output);
-		if (wildcard || !strcmp(name, oc->name) || !strcmp(id, oc->name)) {
+		if (output_match_name_or_id(sway_output, oc->name)) {
+			char id[128];
+			output_get_identifier(id, sizeof(id), sway_output);
 			struct output_config *current = get_output_config(id, sway_output);
 			if (!current) {
 				// No stored output config matched, apply oc directly
diff --git a/sway/desktop/output.c b/sway/desktop/output.c
index fe3cdaf1..2255b551 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/output.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/output.c
@@ -36,8 +36,12 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_drm_lease_v1.h>
 #endif
 
-static bool output_match_name_or_id(struct sway_output *output,
+bool output_match_name_or_id(struct sway_output *output,
 		const char *name_or_id) {
+	if (strcmp(name_or_id, "*") == 0) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	char identifier[128];
 	output_get_identifier(identifier, sizeof(identifier), output);
 	return strcasecmp(identifier, name_or_id) == 0