After discussing this with upstream (see http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.desktop.xfce.devel.version4/19646) there is now a RFE on the Xfce bugzilla. The proposed solution is to remove an explicit GNOME compatibility mode and the code currently associated with it and to add support for GNOME autostart phases to xfce4-session.
After discussing this with upstream (see http:// thread. gmane.org/ gmane.comp. desktop. xfce.devel. version4/ 19646) there is now a RFE on the Xfce bugzilla. The proposed solution is to remove an explicit GNOME compatibility mode and the code currently associated with it and to add support for GNOME autostart phases to xfce4-session.