diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
index 55fb65a3b..d3d59df6b 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
@@ -158,12 +158,10 @@ clutter_x11_register_input_devices (ClutterBackendX11 *backend)
               device_type = CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE;
               break;
 
-#if 0
             /* XInput1 is broken for keyboards */
             case IsXExtensionKeyboard:
               device_type = CLUTTER_KEYBOARD_DEVICE;
               break;
-#endif
 
             case IsXExtensionDevice:
               device_type = CLUTTER_EXTENSION_DEVICE;
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
index 6858cfd65..1a3a260fc 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
@@ -267,9 +267,10 @@ set_user_time (ClutterBackendX11 *backend_x11,
     }
 }
 
-#if 0 /* See XInput keyboard comment below HAVE_XINPUT */
+#ifdef HAVE_XINPUT
 static void
-convert_xdevicekey_to_xkey (XDeviceKeyEvent *xkev, XEvent *xevent)
+convert_xdevicekey_to_xkey (XDeviceKeyEvent *xkev,
+                            XEvent          *xevent)
 {
   xevent->xany.type = xevent->xkey.type = xkev->type;
   xevent->xkey.serial = xkev->serial;
@@ -808,11 +809,14 @@ event_translate (ClutterBackend *backend,
 #ifdef HAVE_XINPUT
       int *ev_types = backend_x11->event_types;
       int button_press, button_release;
+      int key_press, key_release;
       int motion_notify;
 
       button_press   = ev_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_BUTTON_PRESS_EVENT];
       button_release = ev_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_BUTTON_RELEASE_EVENT];
       motion_notify  = ev_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_MOTION_NOTIFY_EVENT];
+      key_press      = ev_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_PRESS_EVENT];
+      key_release    = ev_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_RELEASE_EVENT];
 
       CLUTTER_NOTE (EVENT, "XInput event type: %d", xevent->type);
 
@@ -924,6 +928,26 @@ event_translate (ClutterBackend *backend,
 
           res = TRUE;
         }
+      else if (xevent->type == key_press || xevent->type == key_release)
+        {
+          /* the XInput 1.x handling of key presses/releases is broken:
+           * it makes key repeat, key presses and releases outside the
+           * window not generate events even when the window has focus
+           */
+          XDeviceKeyEvent *xkev = (XDeviceKeyEvent *) xevent;
+          XEvent xevent_converted;
+
+          convert_xdevicekey_to_xkey (xkev, &xevent_converted);
+
+          event->key.type = event->type = (xevent->type == key_press)
+                                          ? CLUTTER_KEY_PRESS
+                                          : CLUTTER_KEY_RELEASE;
+
+          translate_key_event (backend, event, &xevent_converted);
+
+          if (xevent->type == key_press)
+            set_user_time (backend_x11, &xwindow, xkev->time);
+        }
       else
 #endif /* HAVE_XINPUT */
         {
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
index 94b67d2a9..b62ca8a0c 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ _clutter_input_device_x11_construct (ClutterInputDevice *device,
     {
       XInputClassInfo *xclass_info = x_device->classes + i;
       int *button_press, *button_release, *motion_notify;
+      int *key_press, *key_release;
 
       button_press =
         &backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_BUTTON_PRESS_EVENT];
@@ -150,22 +151,28 @@ _clutter_input_device_x11_construct (ClutterInputDevice *device,
       motion_notify =
         &backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_MOTION_NOTIFY_EVENT];
 
+      key_press =
+        &backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_PRESS_EVENT];
+      key_release =
+        &backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_RELEASE_EVENT];
+
       switch (xclass_info->input_class)
         {
-#if 0
-        /* XInput 1.x is broken for keyboards: */
+        /* event though XInput 1.x is broken for keyboard-like devices
+         * it might still be useful to track them down; the core keyboard
+         * will handle the right events anyway
+         */
         case KeyClass:
-          DeviceKeyPress (xdevice,
-                          backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_PRESS_EVENT],
+          DeviceKeyPress (x_device,
+                          *key_press,
                           device_x11->xevent_list[n_events]);
           n_events++;
 
-          DeviceKeyRelease (xdevice,
-                            backend->event_types[CLUTTER_X11_XINPUT_KEY_RELEASE_EVENT],
+          DeviceKeyRelease (x_device,
+                            *key_release,
                             device_x11->xevent_list[n_events]);
           n_events++;
           break;
-#endif
 
         case ButtonClass:
           DeviceButtonPress (x_device,
diff --git a/tests/interactive/test-devices.c b/tests/interactive/test-devices.c
index 6af0ce590..e286a064c 100644
--- a/tests/interactive/test-devices.c
+++ b/tests/interactive/test-devices.c
@@ -105,13 +105,15 @@ test_devices_main (int argc, char **argv)
       ClutterInputDeviceType device_type;
       ClutterActor *hand = NULL;
 
-      device_type = clutter_input_device_get_device_type (device);
-      if (device_type == CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE)
-        {
-          g_print ("got a pointer device '%s' with id %d...\n",
-                   clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device),
-                   clutter_input_device_get_device_id (device));
+      g_print ("got a %s device '%s' with id %d...\n",
+               device_type_name (device),
+               clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device),
+               clutter_input_device_get_device_id (device));
 
+      device_type = clutter_input_device_get_device_type (device);
+      if (device_type == CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE ||
+          device_type == CLUTTER_EXTENSION_DEVICE)
+        {
           hand = clutter_texture_new_from_file (TESTS_DATADIR
                                                 G_DIR_SEPARATOR_S
                                                 "redhand.png",