diff --git a/src/st/st-clickable.c b/src/st/st-clickable.c
index abed5be26..38cc41f47 100644
--- a/src/st/st-clickable.c
+++ b/src/st/st-clickable.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ st_clickable_button_press_event (ClutterActor       *actor,
   if (self->priv->held)
     return TRUE;
 
-  if (!_st_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
+  if (!clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
     return FALSE;
 
   self->priv->held = TRUE;
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ st_clickable_button_release_event (ClutterActor       *actor,
   self->priv->held = FALSE;
   clutter_ungrab_pointer ();
 
-  if (!_st_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
+  if (!clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
     return FALSE;
 
   set_pressed (self, FALSE);
diff --git a/src/st/st-entry.c b/src/st/st-entry.c
index 7da288608..7c4170cc9 100644
--- a/src/st/st-entry.c
+++ b/src/st/st-entry.c
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ st_entry_enter_event (ClutterActor         *actor,
 {
   StEntryPrivate *priv = ST_ENTRY_PRIV (actor);
 
-  if (_st_actor_contains (actor, event->source)
+  if (clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->source)
       && priv->hint && priv->hint_visible)
     {
       st_widget_set_hover (ST_WIDGET (actor), TRUE);
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ static gboolean
 st_entry_leave_event (ClutterActor         *actor,
                       ClutterCrossingEvent *event)
 {
-  if (!_st_actor_contains (actor, event->related))
+  if (!clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->related))
     st_widget_set_hover (ST_WIDGET (actor), FALSE);
 
   return CLUTTER_ACTOR_CLASS (st_entry_parent_class)->leave_event (actor, event);
diff --git a/src/st/st-private.c b/src/st/st-private.c
index 248c703d2..c1614b082 100644
--- a/src/st/st-private.c
+++ b/src/st/st-private.c
@@ -320,12 +320,3 @@ _st_set_text_from_style (ClutterText *text,
     clutter_text_set_line_alignment (text, (PangoAlignment) align);
   }
 }
-
-gboolean
-_st_actor_contains (ClutterActor *actor,
-                    ClutterActor *child)
-{
-  while (child != NULL && child != actor)
-    child = clutter_actor_get_parent (child);
-  return child != NULL;
-}
diff --git a/src/st/st-private.h b/src/st/st-private.h
index eecd7fdaa..83686659c 100644
--- a/src/st/st-private.h
+++ b/src/st/st-private.h
@@ -72,7 +72,4 @@ void _st_allocate_fill (StWidget        *parent,
 void _st_set_text_from_style (ClutterText *text,
                               StThemeNode *theme_node);
 
-gboolean _st_actor_contains (ClutterActor *actor,
-                             ClutterActor *child);
-
 #endif /* __ST_PRIVATE_H__ */
diff --git a/src/st/st-widget.c b/src/st/st-widget.c
index eb976ac06..d4850a754 100644
--- a/src/st/st-widget.c
+++ b/src/st/st-widget.c
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ st_widget_enter (ClutterActor         *actor,
 
   if (priv->track_hover)
     {
-      if (_st_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
+      if (clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->source))
         st_widget_set_hover (ST_WIDGET (actor), TRUE);
       else
         {
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ st_widget_leave (ClutterActor         *actor,
 
   if (priv->track_hover)
     {
-      if (!_st_actor_contains (actor, event->related))
+      if (!clutter_actor_contains (actor, event->related))
         st_widget_set_hover (ST_WIDGET (actor), FALSE);
     }
 
@@ -1589,7 +1589,10 @@ st_widget_sync_hover (StWidget *widget)
   pointer = clutter_device_manager_get_core_device (device_manager,
                                                     CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE);
   pointer_actor = clutter_input_device_get_pointer_actor (pointer);
-  st_widget_set_hover (widget, _st_actor_contains (CLUTTER_ACTOR (widget), pointer_actor));
+  if (pointer_actor)
+    st_widget_set_hover (widget, clutter_actor_contains (CLUTTER_ACTOR (widget), pointer_actor));
+  else
+    st_widget_set_hover (widget, FALSE);
 }
 
 /**