diff --git a/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.c b/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.c
index e70a93a9a..b8003fbac 100644
--- a/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.c
+++ b/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.c
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ mtk_rectangle_new (int x,
   return rect;
 }
 
+/**
+ * mtk_rectangle_area:
+ * @rect: A rectangle
+ *
+ * Returns: The area of the rectangle
+ */
+int
+mtk_rectangle_area (const MtkRectangle *rect)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (rect != NULL, 0);
+  return rect->width * rect->height;
+}
+
 /**
  * mtk_rectangle_equal:
  * @src1: The first rectangle
diff --git a/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.h b/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.h
index 435cbb08f..3f923b6c6 100644
--- a/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.h
+++ b/mtk/mtk/mtk-rectangle.h
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ MtkRectangle * mtk_rectangle_new (int x,
                                   int width,
                                   int height);
 
+/* Basic comparison functions */
+MTK_EXPORT
+int mtk_rectangle_area (const MtkRectangle *rect);
+
 MTK_EXPORT
 gboolean mtk_rectangle_equal (const MtkRectangle *src1,
                               const MtkRectangle *src2);
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index f25ef870c..f46129f07 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -3374,7 +3374,7 @@ meta_monitor_manager_get_logical_monitor_from_rect (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
                                     &intersection))
         continue;
 
-      intersection_area = meta_rectangle_area (&intersection);
+      intersection_area = mtk_rectangle_area (&intersection);
 
       if (intersection_area > best_logical_monitor_area)
         {
diff --git a/src/core/boxes.c b/src/core/boxes.c
index e24efb098..181d8b42c 100644
--- a/src/core/boxes.c
+++ b/src/core/boxes.c
@@ -133,14 +133,6 @@ meta_rectangle_edge_list_to_string (GList      *edge_list,
 
   return output;
 }
-
-int
-meta_rectangle_area (const MetaRectangle *rect)
-{
-  g_return_val_if_fail (rect != NULL, 0);
-  return rect->width * rect->height;
-}
-
 gboolean
 meta_rectangle_overlap (const MetaRectangle *rect1,
                         const MetaRectangle *rect2)
@@ -402,8 +394,8 @@ compare_rect_areas (gconstpointer a, gconstpointer b)
   const MetaRectangle *a_rect = (gconstpointer) a;
   const MetaRectangle *b_rect = (gconstpointer) b;
 
-  int a_area = meta_rectangle_area (a_rect);
-  int b_area = meta_rectangle_area (b_rect);
+  int a_area = mtk_rectangle_area (a_rect);
+  int b_area = mtk_rectangle_area (b_rect);
 
   return b_area - a_area; /* positive ret value denotes b > a, ... */
 }
@@ -890,7 +882,7 @@ meta_rectangle_clip_to_region (const GList         *spanning_rects,
 
       /* Determine maximal overlap amount */
       mtk_rectangle_intersect (rect, compare_rect, &overlap);
-      maximal_overlap_amount_for_compare = meta_rectangle_area (&overlap);
+      maximal_overlap_amount_for_compare = mtk_rectangle_area (&overlap);
 
       /* See if this is the best rect so far */
       if (maximal_overlap_amount_for_compare > best_overlap)
diff --git a/src/meta/boxes.h b/src/meta/boxes.h
index c3278fc3d..daa576602 100644
--- a/src/meta/boxes.h
+++ b/src/meta/boxes.h
@@ -101,10 +101,6 @@ MetaRectangle *meta_rectangle_copy (const MetaRectangle *rect);
 META_EXPORT
 void           meta_rectangle_free (MetaRectangle       *rect);
 
-/* Basic comparison functions */
-META_EXPORT
-int      meta_rectangle_area            (const MetaRectangle *rect);
-
 /* overlap is similar to intersect but doesn't provide location of
  * intersection information.
  */
diff --git a/src/tests/boxes-tests.c b/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
index 44a8e8068..c47f89e82 100644
--- a/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ test_area (void)
   for (i = 0; i < NUM_RANDOM_RUNS; i++)
     {
       get_random_rect (&temp);
-      g_assert (meta_rectangle_area (&temp) == temp.width * temp.height);
+      g_assert (mtk_rectangle_area (&temp) == temp.width * temp.height);
     }
 
   temp = MTK_RECTANGLE_INIT (0, 0, 5, 7);
-  g_assert (meta_rectangle_area (&temp) == 35);
+  g_assert (mtk_rectangle_area (&temp) == 35);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ test_intersect (void)
   mtk_rectangle_intersect (&a, &b, &temp);
   temp2 = MTK_RECTANGLE_INIT (100, 200, 10, 2);
   g_assert (mtk_rectangle_equal (&temp, &temp2));
-  g_assert (meta_rectangle_area (&temp) == 20);
+  g_assert (mtk_rectangle_area (&temp) == 20);
 
   mtk_rectangle_intersect (&a, &c, &temp);
-  g_assert (meta_rectangle_area (&temp) == 0);
+  g_assert (mtk_rectangle_area (&temp) == 0);
 
   mtk_rectangle_intersect (&a, &d, &temp);
-  g_assert (meta_rectangle_area (&temp) == 0);
+  g_assert (mtk_rectangle_area (&temp) == 0);
 
   mtk_rectangle_intersect (&b, &d, &b);
   g_assert (mtk_rectangle_equal (&b, &b_intersect_d));