diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9fd3900aa..b5bbc2fd2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -235,17 +235,6 @@ if test x$have_xinerama = xno; then
    AC_MSG_ERROR([Xinerama extension was not found])
 fi
 
-found_xkb=no
-AC_CHECK_LIB(X11, XkbQueryExtension,
-               [AC_CHECK_HEADER(X11/XKBlib.h,
-                                found_xkb=yes)],
-	, $ALL_X_LIBS)
-
-if test "x$found_xkb" = "xyes"; then
-   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_XKB, , [Have keyboard extension library])
-fi
-
-
 RANDR_LIBS=
 found_randr=no
 AC_CHECK_LIB(Xrandr, XRRUpdateConfiguration,
diff --git a/src/core/bell.c b/src/core/bell.c
index 8b4e76b59..7c89160b0 100644
--- a/src/core/bell.c
+++ b/src/core/bell.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
  *
  * If the configure script found we had no XKB, this does not exist.
  */
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
 static void
 bell_flash_fullscreen (MetaDisplay *display,
                        XkbAnyEvent *xkb_ev)
@@ -244,12 +243,10 @@ meta_bell_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
     }
 #endif /* HAVE_LIBCANBERRA */
 }
-#endif /* HAVE_XKB */
 
 void
 meta_bell_set_audible (MetaDisplay *display, gboolean audible)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBCANBERRA
   /* When we are playing sounds using libcanberra support, we handle the
    * bell whether its an audible bell or a visible bell */
@@ -262,13 +259,11 @@ meta_bell_set_audible (MetaDisplay *display, gboolean audible)
                             XkbUseCoreKbd,
                             XkbAudibleBellMask,
                             enable_system_bell ? XkbAudibleBellMask : 0);
-#endif /* HAVE_XKB */
 }
 
 gboolean
 meta_bell_init (MetaDisplay *display)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   int xkb_base_error_type, xkb_opcode;
 
   if (!XkbQueryExtension (display->xdisplay, &xkb_opcode,
@@ -298,20 +293,17 @@ meta_bell_init (MetaDisplay *display)
       }
       return TRUE;
     }
-#endif
   return FALSE;
 }
 
 void
 meta_bell_shutdown (MetaDisplay *display)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   /* TODO: persist initial bell state in display, reset here */
   XkbChangeEnabledControls (display->xdisplay,
 			    XkbUseCoreKbd,
 			    XkbAudibleBellMask,
 			    XkbAudibleBellMask);
-#endif
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/core/bell.h b/src/core/bell.h
index 70bd97b4a..dbbafa7c5 100644
--- a/src/core/bell.h
+++ b/src/core/bell.h
@@ -18,13 +18,10 @@
  */
 
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
 #include <X11/XKBlib.h>
-#endif
 #include "display-private.h"
 #include "frame.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
 /**
  * meta_bell_notify:
  * @display: The display the bell event came in on
@@ -37,7 +34,6 @@
  * If the configure script found we had no XKB, this does not exist.
  */
 void meta_bell_notify (MetaDisplay *display, XkbAnyEvent *xkb_ev);
-#endif
 
 /**
  * meta_bell_set_audible:
diff --git a/src/core/display-private.h b/src/core/display-private.h
index 606440e92..95d79e8f7 100644
--- a/src/core/display-private.h
+++ b/src/core/display-private.h
@@ -207,10 +207,8 @@ struct _MetaDisplay
    */
   int         sentinel_counter;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   int         xkb_base_event_type;
   guint32     last_bell_time;
-#endif
   int	      grab_resize_timeout_id;
 
   /* Keybindings stuff */
diff --git a/src/core/display.c b/src/core/display.c
index 77a9f5d98..0b360baf5 100644
--- a/src/core/display.c
+++ b/src/core/display.c
@@ -634,9 +634,7 @@ meta_display_open (void)
   display->grab_resize_timeout_id = 0;
   display->grab_have_keyboard = FALSE;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   display->last_bell_time = 0;
-#endif
 
   display->grab_op = META_GRAB_OP_NONE;
   display->grab_window = NULL;
diff --git a/src/core/keybindings.c b/src/core/keybindings.c
index 09d95d549..db8708f52 100644
--- a/src/core/keybindings.c
+++ b/src/core/keybindings.c
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@
 
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
 #include <X11/XKBlib.h>
-#endif
 
 #include "backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h"
 #include "x11/window-x11.h"
@@ -930,7 +928,6 @@ meta_display_process_mapping_event (MetaDisplay *display,
   gboolean keymap_changed = FALSE;
   gboolean modmap_changed = FALSE;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   if (event->type == display->xkb_base_event_type)
     {
       meta_topic (META_DEBUG_KEYBINDINGS,
@@ -939,9 +936,7 @@ meta_display_process_mapping_event (MetaDisplay *display,
       keymap_changed = TRUE;
       modmap_changed = TRUE;
     }
-  else
-#endif
-  if (event->xmapping.request == MappingModifier)
+  else if (event->xmapping.request == MappingModifier)
     {
       meta_topic (META_DEBUG_KEYBINDINGS,
                   "Received MappingModifier event, will reload modmap and redo keybindings\n");
@@ -3966,11 +3961,9 @@ meta_display_init_keys (MetaDisplay *display)
 
   meta_prefs_add_listener (bindings_changed_callback, display);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_XKB
   /* meta_display_init_keys() should have already called XkbQueryExtension() */
   if (display->xkb_base_event_type != -1)
     XkbSelectEvents (display->xdisplay, XkbUseCoreKbd,
                      XkbNewKeyboardNotifyMask | XkbMapNotifyMask,
                      XkbNewKeyboardNotifyMask | XkbMapNotifyMask);
-#endif
 }