diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index eb1215cbc..1af7dbb83 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ MUTTER_PC_MODULES="
    xdamage
    xext
    xfixes
-   xi >= 1.6.0
+   xi >= 1.6.99.1
    xkbfile
    xkeyboard-config
    xkbcommon >= 0.4.3
@@ -347,9 +347,6 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([XWAYLAND_GRAB_DEFAULT_ACCESS_RULES],
                     [Xwayland applications allowed to issue keyboard grabs])
 AC_SUBST(XWAYLAND_GRAB_DEFAULT_ACCESS_RULES)
 
-PKG_CHECK_EXISTS([xi >= 1.6.99.1],
-                 AC_DEFINE([HAVE_XI23],[1],[Define if you have support for XInput 2.3 or greater]))
-
 AC_PATH_XTRA
 
 ALL_X_LIBS="$X_LIBS $X_PRE_LIBS -lX11 $X_EXTRA_LIBS"
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-barrier.c b/src/backends/meta-barrier.c
index fb14a5644..3b108c5e7 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-barrier.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-barrier.c
@@ -180,11 +180,9 @@ meta_barrier_constructed (GObject *object)
   if (META_IS_BACKEND_NATIVE (meta_get_backend ()))
     priv->impl = meta_barrier_impl_native_new (barrier);
 #endif
-#if defined(HAVE_XI23)
   if (META_IS_BACKEND_X11 (meta_get_backend ()) &&
       !meta_is_wayland_compositor ())
     priv->impl = meta_barrier_impl_x11_new (barrier);
-#endif
 
   if (priv->impl == NULL)
     g_warning ("Created a non-working barrier");
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
index 5e5f8f2a8..d8231b607 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
-
 #include <glib-object.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/XInput2.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/Xfixes.h>
@@ -217,5 +215,3 @@ static void
 meta_barrier_impl_x11_init (MetaBarrierImplX11 *self)
 {
 }
-
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
diff --git a/src/x11/events.c b/src/x11/events.c
index edecce491..517cf6ec5 100644
--- a/src/x11/events.c
+++ b/src/x11/events.c
@@ -85,13 +85,11 @@ get_input_event (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
           if (((XIEnterEvent *) input_event)->deviceid == META_VIRTUAL_CORE_POINTER_ID)
             return input_event;
           break;
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
         case XI_BarrierHit:
         case XI_BarrierLeave:
           if (((XIBarrierEvent *) input_event)->deviceid == META_VIRTUAL_CORE_POINTER_ID)
             return input_event;
           break;
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
         default:
           break;
         }
@@ -117,11 +115,9 @@ xievent_get_modified_window (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
     case XI_Enter:
     case XI_Leave:
       return ((XIEnterEvent *) input_event)->event;
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
     case XI_BarrierHit:
     case XI_BarrierLeave:
       return ((XIBarrierEvent *) input_event)->event;
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
     }
 
   return None;
@@ -380,14 +376,12 @@ meta_spew_xi2_event (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
     case XI_Leave:
       name = "XI_Leave";
       break;
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
     case XI_BarrierHit:
       name = "XI_BarrierHit";
       break;
     case XI_BarrierLeave:
       name = "XI_BarrierLeave";
       break;
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
     }
 
   switch (input_event->evtype)
@@ -1812,13 +1806,11 @@ meta_x11_display_handle_xevent (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
         }
     }
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
   if (meta_x11_display_process_barrier_xevent (x11_display, input_event))
     {
       bypass_gtk = bypass_compositor = TRUE;
       goto out;
     }
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
 
   if (handle_input_xevent (x11_display, input_event, event->xany.serial))
     {
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
index fdd642bbc..54bbcf7f2 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
@@ -147,12 +147,8 @@ struct _MetaX11Display
   unsigned int have_damage : 1;
 #define META_X11_DISPLAY_HAS_COMPOSITE(x11_display) ((x11_display)->have_composite)
 #define META_X11_DISPLAY_HAS_DAMAGE(x11_display) ((x11_display)->have_damage)
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
   gboolean have_xinput_23 : 1;
 #define META_X11_DISPLAY_HAS_XINPUT_23(x11_display) ((x11_display)->have_xinput_23)
-#else
-#define META_X11_DISPLAY_HAS_XINPUT_23(x11_display) FALSE
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
 };
 
 MetaX11Display *meta_x11_display_new (MetaDisplay *display, GError **error);
@@ -182,10 +178,8 @@ void        meta_x11_display_register_sync_alarm   (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
 void        meta_x11_display_unregister_sync_alarm (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
                                                     XSyncAlarm      alarm);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
 gboolean meta_x11_display_process_barrier_xevent (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
                                                   XIEvent        *event);
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
 
 void meta_x11_display_set_alarm_filter (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
                                         MetaAlarmFilter filter,
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
index 50991ecf8..485d04b88 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
@@ -407,10 +407,8 @@ query_xi_extension (MetaX11Display *x11_display)
           if (version >= 22)
             has_xi = TRUE;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
           if (version >= 23)
             x11_display->have_xinput_23 = TRUE;
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
         }
     }
 
@@ -784,13 +782,11 @@ init_event_masks (MetaX11Display *x11_display)
   XISetMask (mask.mask, XI_Leave);
   XISetMask (mask.mask, XI_FocusIn);
   XISetMask (mask.mask, XI_FocusOut);
-#ifdef HAVE_XI23
   if (META_X11_DISPLAY_HAS_XINPUT_23 (x11_display))
     {
       XISetMask (mask.mask, XI_BarrierHit);
       XISetMask (mask.mask, XI_BarrierLeave);
     }
-#endif /* HAVE_XI23 */
   XISelectEvents (x11_display->xdisplay, x11_display->xroot, &mask, 1);
 
   event_mask = (SubstructureRedirectMask | SubstructureNotifyMask |