diff --git a/src/core/bell.c b/src/core/bell.c
index cf7a0f80a..4ac30dc17 100644
--- a/src/core/bell.c
+++ b/src/core/bell.c
@@ -203,33 +203,18 @@ bell_audible_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
   return FALSE;
 }
 
-void
+gboolean
 meta_bell_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
-		  XkbAnyEvent *xkb_ev)
+                  MetaWindow  *window)
 {
-  MetaWindow *window;
-  XkbBellNotifyEvent *xkb_bell_event = (XkbBellNotifyEvent*) xkb_ev;
-
-  window = meta_display_lookup_x_window (display, xkb_bell_event->window);
-  if (!window && display->focus_window && display->focus_window->frame)
-    window = display->focus_window;
-
   /* flash something */
   if (meta_prefs_get_visual_bell ())
     bell_visual_notify (display, window);
 
   if (meta_prefs_bell_is_audible ())
-    {
-      if (!bell_audible_notify (display, window))
-        {
-          /* Force a classic bell if the libcanberra bell failed. */
-          XkbForceDeviceBell (display->xdisplay,
-                              xkb_bell_event->device,
-                              xkb_bell_event->bell_class,
-                              xkb_bell_event->bell_id,
-                              xkb_bell_event->percent);
-        }
-    }
+    return bell_audible_notify (display, window);
+
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/core/bell.h b/src/core/bell.h
index 6b8ed1e28..2e9cd3906 100644
--- a/src/core/bell.h
+++ b/src/core/bell.h
@@ -25,15 +25,14 @@
 /**
  * meta_bell_notify:
  * @display: The display the bell event came in on
- * @xkb_ev: The bell event we just received
+ * @window: The window the bell event was received on
  *
- * Gives the user some kind of visual bell; in fact, this is our response
- * to any kind of bell request, but we set it up so that we only get
- * notified about visual bells, and X deals with audible ones.
- *
- * If the configure script found we had no XKB, this does not exist.
+ * Gives the user some kind of aural or visual feedback, such as a bell sound
+ * or flash. What type of feedback is invoked depends on the configuration.
+ * If the aural feedback could not be invoked, FALSE is returned.
  */
-void meta_bell_notify (MetaDisplay *display, XkbAnyEvent *xkb_ev);
+gboolean meta_bell_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
+                           MetaWindow  *window);
 
 /**
  * meta_bell_set_audible:
diff --git a/src/x11/events.c b/src/x11/events.c
index 3270f81f5..6bead5a45 100644
--- a/src/x11/events.c
+++ b/src/x11/events.c
@@ -1162,6 +1162,30 @@ process_selection_clear (MetaDisplay   *display,
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+static void
+notify_bell (MetaDisplay *display,
+             XkbAnyEvent *xkb_ev)
+{
+  XkbBellNotifyEvent *xkb_bell_event = (XkbBellNotifyEvent*) xkb_ev;
+  MetaWindow *window;
+
+  window = meta_display_lookup_x_window (display, xkb_bell_event->window);
+  if (!window && display->focus_window && display->focus_window->frame)
+    window = display->focus_window;
+
+  display->last_bell_time = xkb_ev->time;
+  if (!meta_bell_notify (display, window) &&
+      meta_prefs_bell_is_audible ())
+    {
+      /* Force a classic bell if the libcanberra bell failed. */
+      XkbForceDeviceBell (display->xdisplay,
+                          xkb_bell_event->device,
+                          xkb_bell_event->bell_class,
+                          xkb_bell_event->bell_id,
+                          xkb_bell_event->percent);
+    }
+}
+
 static gboolean
 handle_other_xevent (MetaDisplay *display,
                      XEvent      *event)
@@ -1618,8 +1642,7 @@ handle_other_xevent (MetaDisplay *display,
               if (XSERVER_TIME_IS_BEFORE(display->last_bell_time,
                                          xkb_ev->time - 100))
                 {
-                  display->last_bell_time = xkb_ev->time;
-                  meta_bell_notify (display, xkb_ev);
+                  notify_bell (display, xkb_ev);
                 }
               break;
             default: