diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index 6736e4d5c..bbe7a2116 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -3668,6 +3668,7 @@ clutter_stage_notify_grab_on_pointer_entry (ClutterStage       *stage,
 {
   gboolean pointer_in_grab, pointer_in_old_grab;
   gboolean implicit_grab_cancelled = FALSE;
+  unsigned int implicit_grab_n_removed = 0, implicit_grab_n_remaining = 0;
   ClutterEventType event_type = CLUTTER_NOTHING;
   ClutterActor *topmost, *deepmost;
 
@@ -3688,9 +3689,6 @@ clutter_stage_notify_grab_on_pointer_entry (ClutterStage       *stage,
       ClutterInputDevice *device = entry->device;
       ClutterEventSequence *sequence = entry->sequence;
       unsigned int i;
-      unsigned int n_removed = 0;
-
-      implicit_grab_cancelled = TRUE;
 
       for (i = 0; i < entry->event_emission_chain->len; i++)
         {
@@ -3702,11 +3700,11 @@ clutter_stage_notify_grab_on_pointer_entry (ClutterStage       *stage,
               if (!clutter_actor_contains (grab_actor, receiver->actor))
                 {
                   g_clear_object (&receiver->actor);
-                  n_removed++;
+                  implicit_grab_n_removed++;
                 }
               else
                 {
-                  implicit_grab_cancelled = FALSE;
+                  implicit_grab_n_remaining++;
                 }
             }
           else if (receiver->action)
@@ -3720,23 +3718,27 @@ clutter_stage_notify_grab_on_pointer_entry (ClutterStage       *stage,
                                                      device,
                                                      sequence);
                   g_clear_object (&receiver->action);
-                  n_removed++;
+                  implicit_grab_n_removed++;
                 }
               else
                 {
-                  implicit_grab_cancelled = FALSE;
+                  implicit_grab_n_remaining++;
                 }
             }
         }
 
-      if (n_removed > 0)
-        {
-          CLUTTER_NOTE (GRABS,
-                        "[grab=%p device=%p sequence=%p implicit_grab_cancelled=%d] "
-                        "Cancelled %u actors and actions on implicit grab due to new seat grab",
-                        stage->priv->topmost_grab, device, sequence, implicit_grab_cancelled,
-                        n_removed);
-        }
+      /* Seat grabs win over implicit grabs, so we default to cancel the ongoing
+       * implicit grab. If the seat grab contains one or more actors from
+       * the implicit grab though, the implicit grab remains in effect.
+       */
+      implicit_grab_cancelled = implicit_grab_n_remaining == 0;
+
+      CLUTTER_NOTE (GRABS,
+                    "[grab=%p device=%p sequence=%p implicit_grab_cancelled=%d] "
+                    "Cancelled %u actors and actions (%u remaining) on implicit "
+                    "grab due to new seat grab",
+                    stage->priv->topmost_grab, device, sequence, implicit_grab_cancelled,
+                    implicit_grab_n_removed, implicit_grab_n_remaining);
     }
 
   /* Equate NULL actors to the stage here, to ease calculations further down. */
@@ -3747,7 +3749,8 @@ clutter_stage_notify_grab_on_pointer_entry (ClutterStage       *stage,
 
   if (grab_actor == old_grab_actor)
     {
-      g_assert (!implicit_grab_cancelled);
+      g_assert ((implicit_grab_n_removed == 0 && implicit_grab_n_remaining == 0) ||
+                !implicit_grab_cancelled);
       return;
     }