diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index ac3f42dad..b57b41c0d 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -4269,6 +4269,11 @@ clutter_actor_destroy (ClutterActor *self)
     {
       CLUTTER_SET_PRIVATE_FLAGS (self, CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_DESTRUCTION);
 
+      /* if we are destroying we want to unrealize ourselves
+       * first before the dispose run removes the parent
+       */
+      clutter_actor_update_map_state (self, MAP_STATE_MAKE_UNREALIZED);
+
       g_object_run_dispose (G_OBJECT (self));
 
       CLUTTER_SET_PRIVATE_FLAGS (self, CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_DESTRUCTION);