diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h b/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
index 00ec8ba6a..e9e94e044 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
@@ -202,4 +202,7 @@ void meta_backend_remove_hw_cursor_inhibitor (MetaBackend           *backend,
 
 gboolean meta_backend_is_hw_cursors_inhibited (MetaBackend *backend);
 
+void meta_backend_update_from_event (MetaBackend  *backend,
+                                     ClutterEvent *event);
+
 #endif /* META_BACKEND_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend.c b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
index 4541507ad..cc08f5c48 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
@@ -1065,8 +1065,7 @@ clutter_source_dispatch (GSource     *source,
       event->any.stage =
         CLUTTER_STAGE (meta_backend_get_stage (backend_source->backend));
       clutter_do_event (event);
-      update_last_device_from_event (backend_source->backend, event);
-      update_pointer_visibility_from_event (backend_source->backend, event);
+      meta_backend_update_from_event (backend_source->backend, event);
       clutter_event_free (event);
     }
 
@@ -1680,3 +1679,11 @@ meta_backend_is_hw_cursors_inhibited (MetaBackend *backend)
 
   return FALSE;
 }
+
+void
+meta_backend_update_from_event (MetaBackend  *backend,
+                                ClutterEvent *event)
+{
+  update_last_device_from_event (backend, event);
+  update_pointer_visibility_from_event (backend, event);
+}