diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-timeline.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
index 0c026ebe8..df7db160b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
@@ -424,6 +424,11 @@ clutter_timeline_set_custom_property (ClutterScriptable *scriptable,
     g_object_set_property (G_OBJECT (scriptable), name, value);
 }
 
+static void
+clutter_timeline_cancel_delay (ClutterTimeline *timeline)
+{
+  g_clear_handle_id (&timeline->priv->delay_id, g_source_remove);
+}
 
 static void
 clutter_scriptable_iface_init (ClutterScriptableIface *iface)
@@ -550,11 +555,7 @@ clutter_timeline_dispose (GObject *object)
 
   priv = self->priv;
 
-  if (priv->delay_id)
-    {
-      g_source_remove (priv->delay_id);
-      priv->delay_id = 0;
-    }
+  clutter_timeline_cancel_delay (self);
 
   if (priv->progress_notify != NULL)
     {
@@ -1216,11 +1217,7 @@ clutter_timeline_pause (ClutterTimeline *timeline)
   if (priv->delay_id == 0 && !priv->is_playing)
     return;
 
-  if (priv->delay_id)
-    {
-      g_source_remove (priv->delay_id);
-      priv->delay_id = 0;
-    }
+  clutter_timeline_cancel_delay (timeline);
 
   priv->msecs_delta = 0;
   set_is_playing (timeline, FALSE);