diff --git a/js/ui/keyboard.js b/js/ui/keyboard.js
index d2a8dd59c..b3de70b9a 100644
--- a/js/ui/keyboard.js
+++ b/js/ui/keyboard.js
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ const Key = new Lang.Class({
     _init : function(key) {
         this._key = key;
         this.actor = this._makeKey(key, GLib.markup_escape_text(key.label, -1));
+        this.actor.connect('destroy', Lang.bind(this, this._onDestroy));
 
         this._extended_keys = this._key.get_extended_keys();
         this._extended_keyboard = null;
@@ -97,6 +98,13 @@ const Key = new Lang.Class({
         }
     },
 
+    _onDestroy: function() {
+        if (this._boxPointer) {
+            this._boxPointer.actor.destroy();
+            this._boxPointer = null;
+        }
+    },
+
     _makeKey: function (key, label) {
         let button = new St.Button ({ label: label,
                                       style_class: 'keyboard-key' });