diff --git a/winit-appkit/src/monitor.rs b/winit-appkit/src/monitor.rs
index cc4a15e52f..5affbe4db7 100644
--- a/winit-appkit/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-appkit/src/monitor.rs
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ impl MonitorHandle {
     /// bar and the Dock (see `NSScreen.visibleFrame`). `None` if the underlying
     /// `NSScreen` can no longer be found.
     pub(crate) fn work_area(&self) -> Option<(PhysicalPosition<i32>, PhysicalSize<u32>)> {
-        let scale_factor = self.scale_factor();
+        let scale_factor = self.scale_factor().unwrap_or(1.0);
         run_on_main(|mtm| {
             let visible_frame = self.ns_screen(mtm)?.visibleFrame();
             let origin = flip_window_screen_coordinates(visible_frame);
@@ -226,16 +226,11 @@ impl MonitorHandleProvider for MonitorHandle {
         // flip_window_screen_coordinates(self.ns_screen(mtm)?.frame())
         let bounds = CGDisplayBounds(self.display_id());
         let position = LogicalPosition::new(bounds.origin.x, bounds.origin.y);
-        Some(position.to_physical(self.scale_factor()))
+        self.scale_factor().map(|scale_factor| position.to_physical(scale_factor))
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
-        run_on_main(|mtm| {
-            match self.ns_screen(mtm) {
-                Some(screen) => screen.backingScaleFactor() as f64,
-                None => 1.0, // default to 1.0 when we can't find the screen
-            }
-        })
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
+        run_on_main(|mtm| self.ns_screen(mtm).map(|screen| screen.backingScaleFactor() as f64))
     }
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<VideoMode> {
diff --git a/winit-core/src/monitor.rs b/winit-core/src/monitor.rs
index 4c5750b613..32b4105def 100644
--- a/winit-core/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-core/src/monitor.rs
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ pub trait MonitorHandleProvider: Any + fmt::Debug + Send + Sync {
     ///
     /// See the [`dpi`] module for more information.
     ///
-    /// - **Wayland:** May differ from [`Window::scale_factor`].
-    /// - **Web:** Always returns `0.0` without `detailed_monitor_permissions`.
+    /// - **Wayland:** Returns `None` since the precise scale factor is not known before window
+    ///   creation.
+    /// - **Web:** Returns `None` without `detailed_monitor_permissions`.
     ///
     /// [`Window::scale_factor`]: crate::window::Window::scale_factor
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64;
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64>;
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<VideoMode>;
 
diff --git a/winit-uikit/src/monitor.rs b/winit-uikit/src/monitor.rs
index c2d7935372..be81bcbf04 100644
--- a/winit-uikit/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-uikit/src/monitor.rs
@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ impl MonitorHandleProvider for MonitorHandle {
         Some((bounds.origin.x as f64, bounds.origin.y as f64).into())
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
-        self.ui_screen.get_on_main(|ui_screen| ui_screen.nativeScale()) as f64
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
+        Some(self.ui_screen.get_on_main(|ui_screen| ui_screen.nativeScale()) as f64)
     }
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<VideoMode> {
diff --git a/winit-wayland/src/output.rs b/winit-wayland/src/output.rs
index 72ac253f61..76ab6c6b8f 100644
--- a/winit-wayland/src/output.rs
+++ b/winit-wayland/src/output.rs
@@ -50,9 +50,11 @@ impl CoreMonitorHandle for MonitorHandle {
         }))
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
-        let output_data = self.proxy.data::<OutputData>().unwrap();
-        output_data.scale_factor() as f64
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
+        // Although we can extract an integer scale factor via
+        // self.proxy.data::<OutputData>() this often differs from the real
+        // scale factor (due to usage of fractional scaling).
+        None
     }
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<winit_core::monitor::VideoMode> {
diff --git a/winit-web/src/monitor.rs b/winit-web/src/monitor.rs
index 029eb4ab21..f9cbaa33cd 100644
--- a/winit-web/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-web/src/monitor.rs
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ impl MonitorHandleProvider for MonitorHandle {
         self.id.unwrap_or_default()
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
         self.inner.queue(|inner| inner.scale_factor())
     }
 
@@ -276,10 +276,10 @@ impl Inner {
         Self { window, engine, screen, orientation: OnceCell::new() }
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
         match &self.screen {
-            Screen::Screen(_) => 0.,
-            Screen::Detailed { screen, .. } => screen.device_pixel_ratio(),
+            Screen::Screen(_) => None,
+            Screen::Detailed { screen, .. } => Some(screen.device_pixel_ratio()),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/winit-win32/src/monitor.rs b/winit-win32/src/monitor.rs
index 9d031bc2d1..9c47825255 100644
--- a/winit-win32/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-win32/src/monitor.rs
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ impl MonitorHandleProvider for MonitorHandle {
             .ok()
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
-        dpi_to_scale_factor(get_monitor_dpi(self.0).unwrap_or(96))
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
+        get_monitor_dpi(self.0).map(dpi_to_scale_factor)
     }
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<winit_core::monitor::VideoMode> {
diff --git a/winit-x11/src/monitor.rs b/winit-x11/src/monitor.rs
index 7f324fde5e..d986a52e12 100644
--- a/winit-x11/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/winit-x11/src/monitor.rs
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ impl MonitorHandleProvider for MonitorHandle {
         Some(self.position.into())
     }
 
-    fn scale_factor(&self) -> f64 {
-        self.scale_factor
+    fn scale_factor(&self) -> Option<f64> {
+        Some(self.scale_factor)
     }
 
     fn current_video_mode(&self) -> Option<VideoMode> {
diff --git a/winit-x11/src/window.rs b/winit-x11/src/window.rs
index aae7e8258c..8374609d43 100644
--- a/winit-x11/src/window.rs
+++ b/winit-x11/src/window.rs
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ impl UnownedWindow {
                 })
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| monitors.swap_remove(0))
         };
-        let scale_factor = guessed_monitor.scale_factor();
+        let scale_factor = guessed_monitor.scale_factor().unwrap_or(1.0);
 
         info!("Guessed window scale factor: {}", scale_factor);
 
diff --git a/winit/examples/application.rs b/winit/examples/application.rs
index 27fb844349..203b67381c 100644
--- a/winit/examples/application.rs
+++ b/winit/examples/application.rs
@@ -342,7 +342,9 @@ impl Application {
                 info!("  Position: {x},{y}");
             }
 
-            info!("  Scale factor: {}", monitor.scale_factor());
+            if let Some(factor) = monitor.scale_factor() {
+                info!("  Scale factor: {factor}");
+            }
 
             info!("  Available modes (width x height x bit-depth):");
             for mode in monitor.video_modes() {
diff --git a/winit/src/changelog/unreleased.md b/winit/src/changelog/unreleased.md
index a0e7d3a474..6bb6d6121b 100644
--- a/winit/src/changelog/unreleased.md
+++ b/winit/src/changelog/unreleased.md
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ changelog entry.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Changed
+- `MonitorHandleProvider::scale_factor` now returns `Option<f64>`.
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - On Windows, fix a crash occurring when trying to create a DXGI surface on a window that is both fullscreen and always on top.