diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
index 7e476e726..3c9c0da4d 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display-private.h
@@ -251,9 +251,6 @@ void meta_x11_display_remove_alarm_filter (MetaX11Display     *x11_display,
 
 void meta_x11_display_create_guard_window (MetaX11Display *x11_display);
 
-/* make a request to ensure the event serial has changed */
-void meta_x11_display_increment_event_serial    (MetaX11Display *x11_display);
-
 guint32 meta_x11_display_get_current_time_roundtrip (MetaX11Display *x11_display);
 
 void meta_x11_display_set_input_focus_xwindow (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
index e59e02e4b..952148859 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
@@ -1946,16 +1946,6 @@ meta_x11_display_xwindow_is_a_no_focus_window (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
   return xwindow == x11_display->no_focus_window;
 }
 
-void
-meta_x11_display_increment_event_serial (MetaX11Display *x11_display)
-
-{
-  /* We just make some random X request */
-  XDeleteProperty (x11_display->xdisplay,
-                   x11_display->leader_window,
-                   x11_display->atom__MOTIF_WM_HINTS);
-}
-
 static void
 meta_x11_display_update_active_window_hint (MetaX11Display *x11_display)
 {