diff --git a/src/core/prefs.c b/src/core/prefs.c
index 3e04ccec8..af2e2063c 100644
--- a/src/core/prefs.c
+++ b/src/core/prefs.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 #define SCHEMA_INTERFACE       "org.gnome.desktop.interface"
 #define SCHEMA_INPUT_SOURCES   "org.gnome.desktop.input-sources"
 #define SCHEMA_XSETTINGS       "org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings"
+#define SCHEMA_MOUSE           "org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.mouse"
 
 #define SETTINGS(s) g_hash_table_lookup (settings_schemas, (s))
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ static gboolean gnome_animations = TRUE;
 static char *cursor_theme = NULL;
 static int   cursor_size = 24;
 static int   draggable_border_width = 10;
+static int   drag_threshold;
 static gboolean resize_with_right_button = FALSE;
 static gboolean edge_tiling = FALSE;
 static gboolean force_fullscreen = TRUE;
@@ -492,6 +494,13 @@ static MetaIntPreference preferences_int[] =
       },
       &draggable_border_width
     },
+    {
+      { "drag-threshold",
+        SCHEMA_MOUSE,
+        META_PREF_DRAG_THRESHOLD,
+      },
+      &drag_threshold
+    },
     { { NULL, 0, 0 }, NULL },
   };
 
@@ -1924,6 +1933,9 @@ meta_preference_to_string (MetaPreference pref)
     case META_PREF_DRAGGABLE_BORDER_WIDTH:
       return "DRAGGABLE_BORDER_WIDTH";
 
+    case META_PREF_DRAG_THRESHOLD:
+      return "DRAG_TRHESHOLD";
+
     case META_PREF_DYNAMIC_WORKSPACES:
       return "DYNAMIC_WORKSPACES";
 
@@ -2389,6 +2401,12 @@ meta_prefs_get_draggable_border_width (void)
   return draggable_border_width;
 }
 
+int
+meta_prefs_get_drag_threshold (void)
+{
+  return drag_threshold;
+}
+
 void
 meta_prefs_set_force_fullscreen (gboolean whether)
 {
diff --git a/src/core/window.c b/src/core/window.c
index fcb06aca2..9aa250885 100644
--- a/src/core/window.c
+++ b/src/core/window.c
@@ -5534,7 +5534,7 @@ update_move (MetaWindow  *window,
    * because it's about the right size
    */
 #define DRAG_THRESHOLD_TO_SHAKE_THRESHOLD_FACTOR 6
-  shake_threshold = meta_ui_get_drag_threshold (window->screen->ui) *
+  shake_threshold = meta_prefs_get_drag_threshold () *
     DRAG_THRESHOLD_TO_SHAKE_THRESHOLD_FACTOR;
 
   if (snap)
@@ -5726,7 +5726,7 @@ check_resize_unmaximize(MetaWindow *window,
 
 #define DRAG_THRESHOLD_TO_RESIZE_THRESHOLD_FACTOR 3
 
-  threshold = meta_ui_get_drag_threshold (window->screen->ui) *
+  threshold = meta_prefs_get_drag_threshold () *
     DRAG_THRESHOLD_TO_RESIZE_THRESHOLD_FACTOR;
   new_unmaximize = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/meta/prefs.h b/src/meta/prefs.h
index a0b4a1d4f..dac81c332 100644
--- a/src/meta/prefs.h
+++ b/src/meta/prefs.h
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ typedef enum
   META_PREF_WORKSPACES_ONLY_ON_PRIMARY,
   META_PREF_DRAGGABLE_BORDER_WIDTH,
   META_PREF_AUTO_MAXIMIZE,
-  META_PREF_CENTER_NEW_WINDOWS
+  META_PREF_CENTER_NEW_WINDOWS,
+  META_PREF_DRAG_THRESHOLD,
 } MetaPreference;
 
 typedef void (* MetaPrefsChangedFunc) (MetaPreference pref,
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@ void meta_prefs_set_force_fullscreen (gboolean whether);
 gboolean meta_prefs_get_workspaces_only_on_primary (void);
 
 int      meta_prefs_get_draggable_border_width (void);
+int      meta_prefs_get_drag_threshold (void);
 
 gboolean meta_prefs_get_ignore_request_hide_titlebar (void);
 void     meta_prefs_set_ignore_request_hide_titlebar (gboolean whether);
diff --git a/src/ui/ui.c b/src/ui/ui.c
index 0328572db..d6fbb80e1 100644
--- a/src/ui/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui/ui.c
@@ -654,20 +654,6 @@ meta_ui_window_is_widget (MetaUI *ui,
     return FALSE;
 }
 
-int
-meta_ui_get_drag_threshold (MetaUI *ui)
-{
-  GtkSettings *settings;
-  int threshold;
-
-  settings = gtk_widget_get_settings (GTK_WIDGET (ui->frames));
-
-  threshold = 8;
-  g_object_get (G_OBJECT (settings), "gtk-dnd-drag-threshold", &threshold, NULL);
-
-  return threshold;
-}
-
 MetaUIDirection
 meta_ui_get_direction (void)
 {
diff --git a/src/ui/ui.h b/src/ui/ui.h
index 9bb332cf3..71902953b 100644
--- a/src/ui/ui.h
+++ b/src/ui/ui.h
@@ -123,8 +123,6 @@ gboolean meta_ui_have_a_theme      (void);
 gboolean meta_ui_window_is_widget (MetaUI *ui,
                                    Window  xwindow);
 
-int      meta_ui_get_drag_threshold       (MetaUI *ui);
-
 MetaUIDirection meta_ui_get_direction (void);
 
 #endif