diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
index 1b38e3c30..8b19b5c4c 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ struct _MetaX11Display
 
   guint keys_grabbed : 1;
 
+  guint closing : 1;
+
   /* we use property updates as sentinels for certain window focus events
    * to avoid some race conditions on EnterNotify events
    */
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
index 0fb71a260..6729cb9b6 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ meta_x11_display_dispose (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaX11Display *x11_display = META_X11_DISPLAY (object);
 
+  x11_display->closing = TRUE;
+
   meta_x11_startup_notification_release (x11_display);
 
   meta_prefs_remove_listener (prefs_changed_callback, x11_display);