diff --git a/etc/PROBLEMS b/etc/PROBLEMS
index 62c5e9e1a80..3bd34bfaa53 100644
--- a/etc/PROBLEMS
+++ b/etc/PROBLEMS
@@ -217,6 +217,28 @@ result in an endless loop.
 If you need Emacs to be able to recover from closing displays, compile
 it with the Lucid toolkit instead of GTK.
 
+** Emacs compiled with GTK crashes at startup due to X protocol error.
+
+This is known to happen on elementary OS GNU/Linux systems.
+
+The error message is:
+
+  X protocol error: BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes) on protocol request 140
+  When compiled with GTK, Emacs cannot recover from X disconnects.
+  This is a GTK bug: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=85715
+  For details, see etc/PROBLEMS.
+  Fatal error 6: Aborted
+
+followed by a C backtrace.  (Sometimes the offending protocol request
+number is 139.)
+
+The relevant bug report is here:
+
+  https://bugs.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+bug/1355274
+
+A workaround is to set XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1 in the environment
+before starting Emacs, or run Emacs as root.
+
 ** Emacs crashes when you try to view a file with complex characters.
 
 For example, the etc/HELLO file (as shown by C-h h).