diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-xkb-utils.c b/src/backends/native/meta-xkb-utils.c
index 1ec12a37b..7f80cca2e 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-xkb-utils.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-xkb-utils.c
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ meta_key_event_new_from_evdev (ClutterInputDevice *device,
 {
   ClutterEvent *event;
   xkb_keysym_t sym;
-  const xkb_keysym_t *syms;
   char buffer[8];
   gunichar unicode_value;
   ClutterModifierType modifiers;
@@ -62,11 +61,7 @@ meta_key_event_new_from_evdev (ClutterInputDevice *device,
    * upwards by 8. */
   key = meta_xkb_evdev_to_keycode (key);
 
-  n = xkb_key_get_syms (xkb_state, key, &syms);
-  if (n == 1)
-    sym = syms[0];
-  else
-    sym = XKB_KEY_NoSymbol;
+  sym = xkb_state_key_get_one_sym (xkb_state, key);
 
   modifiers = xkb_state_serialize_mods (xkb_state, XKB_STATE_MODS_EFFECTIVE) |
     button_state;