diff --git a/src/backends/meta-idle-monitor.c b/src/backends/meta-idle-monitor.c
index 03f356187..2fcad2b53 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-idle-monitor.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-idle-monitor.c
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
-#include <X11/extensions/sync.h>
 
 #include "backends/gsm-inhibitor-flag.h"
 #include "backends/meta-backend-private.h"
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h
index 7d25fcd92..71ee6243b 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#include <X11/extensions/XInput.h>
+#include <X11/extensions/XInput2.h>
 
 #include "backends/meta-backend-private.h"
 #include "backends/x11/meta-backend-x11-types.h"
diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
index a77af6d3c..5bf95ee73 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <X11/extensions/Xfixes.h>
-
 #include "clutter/clutter-mutter.h"
 #include "clutter/clutter.h"
 #include "compositor/meta-compositor-view.h"
diff --git a/src/core/window-private.h b/src/core/window-private.h
index ab3b1f667..aa302167d 100644
--- a/src/core/window-private.h
+++ b/src/core/window-private.h
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <X11/Xutil.h>
-
 #include "backends/meta-logical-monitor.h"
 #include "clutter/clutter.h"
 #include "core/stack.h"
diff --git a/src/meta/common.h b/src/meta/common.h
index 5eaf92cb1..ee978ac6a 100644
--- a/src/meta/common.h
+++ b/src/meta/common.h
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
-#include <X11/extensions/XInput.h>
-#include <X11/extensions/XInput2.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 
 #include "clutter/clutter.h"
diff --git a/src/meta/display.h b/src/meta/display.h
index e815191b6..c79aadcb6 100644
--- a/src/meta/display.h
+++ b/src/meta/display.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <glib-object.h>
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
 
 #include "meta/types.h"
 #include "meta/prefs.h"
diff --git a/src/meta/meta-shaped-texture.h b/src/meta/meta-shaped-texture.h
index a7c41d600..55ddc47a0 100644
--- a/src/meta/meta-shaped-texture.h
+++ b/src/meta/meta-shaped-texture.h
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
-
 #include "clutter/clutter.h"
 #include "meta/common.h"
 #include "meta/meta-multi-texture.h"
diff --git a/src/meta/meta-x11-display.h b/src/meta/meta-x11-display.h
index 9be447e17..e06fbaf48 100644
--- a/src/meta/meta-x11-display.h
+++ b/src/meta/meta-x11-display.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <glib-object.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#include <X11/extensions/Xfixes.h>
 
 #include "meta/common.h"
 #include "meta/prefs.h"
diff --git a/src/meta/window.h b/src/meta/window.h
index f4aa91f2b..bbac771af 100644
--- a/src/meta/window.h
+++ b/src/meta/window.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <glib-object.h>
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
 
 #include "meta/boxes.h"
 #include "meta/types.h"
diff --git a/src/x11/group-private.h b/src/x11/group-private.h
index fb3fa02ac..23d3b2815 100644
--- a/src/x11/group-private.h
+++ b/src/x11/group-private.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 
 #include "meta/group.h"
 
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+
 struct _MetaGroup
 {
   int refcount;
diff --git a/src/x11/window-props.h b/src/x11/window-props.h
index a7067d6a2..f4edf1138 100644
--- a/src/x11/window-props.h
+++ b/src/x11/window-props.h
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <X11/Xutil.h>
+
 #include "core/window-private.h"
 
 /**