diff --git a/clutter/cogl/clutter-backend-cogl.h b/clutter/cogl/clutter-backend-cogl.h
index 2467d9d9e..483b6cec9 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/clutter-backend-cogl.h
+++ b/clutter/cogl/clutter-backend-cogl.h
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ struct _ClutterBackendCoglClass
 
 GType _clutter_backend_cogl_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-const gchar *_clutter_backend_cogl_get_vblank (void);
-
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __CLUTTER_BACKEND_COGL_H__ */
diff --git a/clutter/cogl/clutter-stage-cogl.c b/clutter/cogl/clutter-stage-cogl.c
index 84b2022b5..fe600c056 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/clutter-stage-cogl.c
+++ b/clutter/cogl/clutter-stage-cogl.c
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ clutter_stage_cogl_realize (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window)
   GError *error = NULL;
   gfloat width = 800;
   gfloat height = 600;
-  const char *clutter_vblank;
 
   CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Realizing stage '%s' [%p]",
                 G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME (stage_cogl),
@@ -116,9 +115,8 @@ clutter_stage_cogl_realize (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window)
 						width, height);
     }
 
-  clutter_vblank = _clutter_backend_cogl_get_vblank ();
-  if (clutter_vblank && strcmp (clutter_vblank, "none") == 0)
-    cogl_onscreen_set_swap_throttled (stage_cogl->onscreen, FALSE);
+  cogl_onscreen_set_swap_throttled (stage_cogl->onscreen,
+                                    _clutter_get_sync_to_vblank ());
 
   framebuffer = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (stage_cogl->onscreen);
   if (!cogl_framebuffer_allocate (framebuffer, &error))
diff --git a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
index 3d9a2d2db..4d5165a13 100644
--- a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
+++ b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
@@ -47,34 +47,11 @@ typedef int (WINAPI * SwapIntervalProc) (int interval);
 /* singleton object */
 static ClutterBackendWin32 *backend_singleton = NULL;
 
-static gchar *clutter_vblank_name = NULL;
-
 static HINSTANCE clutter_hinst = NULL;
 
 /* various flags corresponding to pre init setup calls */
 static gboolean _no_event_retrieval = FALSE;
 
-const gchar *
-_clutter_backend_win32_get_vblank (void)
-{
-  if (clutter_vblank_name && strcmp (clutter_vblank_name, "0") == 0)
-    return "none";
-  else
-    return clutter_vblank_name;
-}
-
-gboolean
-clutter_backend_win32_pre_parse (ClutterBackend  *backend,
-				 GError         **error)
-{
-  const gchar *env_string;
-
-  if ((env_string = g_getenv ("CLUTTER_VBLANK")))
-    clutter_vblank_name = g_strdup (env_string);
-
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
 static void
 clutter_backend_win32_init_events (ClutterBackend *backend)
 {
@@ -259,7 +236,6 @@ clutter_backend_win32_class_init (ClutterBackendWin32Class *klass)
   gobject_class->dispose = clutter_backend_win32_dispose;
   gobject_class->finalize = clutter_backend_win32_finalize;
 
-  backend_class->pre_parse        = clutter_backend_win32_pre_parse;
   backend_class->init_events      = clutter_backend_win32_init_events;
   backend_class->create_stage     = clutter_backend_win32_create_stage;
   backend_class->add_options      = clutter_backend_win32_add_options;
diff --git a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.h b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.h
index 2bd365b74..da5ac9c17 100644
--- a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.h
+++ b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.h
@@ -72,8 +72,6 @@ clutter_backend_win32_get_features (ClutterBackend *backend);
 
 HCURSOR _clutter_backend_win32_get_invisible_cursor (ClutterBackend *backend);
 
-const gchar *_clutter_backend_win32_get_vblank (void);
-
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __CLUTTER_BACKEND_WIN32_H__ */
diff --git a/clutter/win32/clutter-stage-win32.c b/clutter/win32/clutter-stage-win32.c
index d2b2cb55a..f57f73be6 100644
--- a/clutter/win32/clutter-stage-win32.c
+++ b/clutter/win32/clutter-stage-win32.c
@@ -398,7 +398,6 @@ clutter_stage_win32_realize (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window)
   gfloat width;
   gfloat height;
   GError *error = NULL;
-  const char *clutter_vblank;
 
   CLUTTER_NOTE (MISC, "Realizing main stage");
 
@@ -470,9 +469,8 @@ clutter_stage_win32_realize (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window)
   cogl_win32_onscreen_set_foreign_window (stage_win32->onscreen,
                                           stage_win32->hwnd);
 
-  clutter_vblank = _clutter_backend_win32_get_vblank ();
-  if (clutter_vblank && strcmp (clutter_vblank, "none") == 0)
-    cogl_onscreen_set_swap_throttled (stage_win32->onscreen, FALSE);
+  cogl_onscreen_set_swap_throttled (stage_win32->onscreen,
+                                    _clutter_get_sync_to_vblank ());
 
   framebuffer = COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (stage_win32->onscreen);
   if (!cogl_framebuffer_allocate (framebuffer, &error))
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
index 753eb0ccc..8b5a519a7 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
@@ -331,8 +331,7 @@ _clutter_backend_x11_pre_parse (ClutterBackend  *backend,
       env_string = NULL;
     }
 
-  return CLUTTER_BACKEND_CLASS (clutter_backend_x11_parent_class)->pre_parse (backend,
-									      error);
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 gboolean
@@ -451,8 +450,7 @@ _clutter_backend_x11_post_parse (ClutterBackend  *backend,
                 (unsigned int) backend_x11->xwin_root,
                 clutter_backend_get_resolution (backend));
 
-  return CLUTTER_BACKEND_CLASS (clutter_backend_x11_parent_class)->post_parse (backend,
-									       error);
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 void