diff --git a/lisp/server.el b/lisp/server.el
index 104fc060c05..1006fee5c4c 100644
--- a/lisp/server.el
+++ b/lisp/server.el
@@ -1262,9 +1262,12 @@ The following commands are accepted by the client:
                  ;; choice there.)  In daemon mode on Windows, we can't
                  ;; make tty frames, so force the frame type to GUI
                  ;; there too.
-                 (when (and (eq system-type 'windows-nt)
-                            (or (daemonp)
-                                (eq window-system 'w32)))
+                 (when (or (and (eq system-type 'windows-nt)
+                                (or (daemonp)
+                                    (eq window-system 'w32)))
+                           ;; Client runs on Windows, but the server
+                           ;; runs on a Posix host.
+                           (equal tty-name "CONOUT$"))
                    (push "-window-system" args-left)))
 
                 ;; -position +LINE[:COLUMN]:  Set point to the given