diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-barrier-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-barrier-native.c
index 828cdad2f..610ebe9b3 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-barrier-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-barrier-native.c
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ meta_barrier_impl_native_release (MetaBarrierImpl  *impl,
   MetaBarrierImplNative *self = META_BARRIER_IMPL_NATIVE (impl);
 
   if (self->state == META_BARRIER_STATE_HELD &&
-      event->event_id == self->trigger_serial)
+      (!event || event->event_id == self->trigger_serial))
     {
       self->state = META_BARRIER_STATE_RELEASE;
       self->manager->pointer_trap = NULL;
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
index 174c65979..ea036ebf0 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-barrier-x11.c
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@ meta_barrier_impl_x11_release (MetaBarrierImpl  *impl,
   MetaBackendX11 *backend_x11 = META_BACKEND_X11 (backend);
   Display *xdisplay = meta_backend_x11_get_xdisplay (backend_x11);
 
+  if (!event)
+    {
+      g_warning ("X11 barriers always need barrier events to release");
+      return;
+    }
+
   XIBarrierReleasePointer (xdisplay,
                            META_VIRTUAL_CORE_POINTER_ID,
                            self->xbarrier, event->event_id);