diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index 50fd57812..6fe6a7ee6 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -346,6 +346,8 @@ handle_host_xevent (MetaBackend *backend,
 {
   MetaBackendX11 *x11 = META_BACKEND_X11 (backend);
   MetaBackendX11Private *priv = meta_backend_x11_get_instance_private (x11);
+  ClutterBackend *clutter_backend = meta_backend_get_clutter_backend (backend);
+  ClutterSeat *seat = clutter_backend_get_default_seat (clutter_backend);
   MetaContext *context = meta_backend_get_context (backend);
   gboolean bypass_clutter = FALSE;
   MetaDisplay *display;
@@ -408,6 +410,17 @@ handle_host_xevent (MetaBackend *backend,
                                                                      layout_group);
                 }
               break;
+            case XkbControlsNotify:
+              /* 'event_type' is set to zero on notifying us of updates in
+               * response to client requests (including our own) and non-zero
+               * to notify us of key/mouse events causing changes (like
+               * pressing shift 5 times to enable sticky keys).
+               *
+               * We only want to update our settings when it's in response to an
+               * explicit user input event, so require a non-zero event_type.
+               */
+              if (xkb_ev->ctrls.event_type != 0)
+                meta_seat_x11_check_xkb_a11y_settings_changed (seat);
             default:
               break;
             }
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.c
index a041dcad8..1404b0096 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.c
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@
                                       XkbAccessXFeedbackMask  | \
                                       XkbControlsEnabledMask
 
-static int _xkb_event_base;
-
 static Display *
 xdisplay_from_seat (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
@@ -86,8 +84,8 @@ set_xkb_desc_rec (Display    *xdisplay,
   meta_clutter_x11_untrap_x_errors ();
 }
 
-static void
-check_settings_changed (ClutterSeat *seat)
+void
+meta_seat_x11_check_xkb_a11y_settings_changed (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
   MetaSeatX11 *seat_x11 = META_SEAT_X11 (seat);
   MetaBackend *backend = meta_seat_x11_get_backend (META_SEAT_X11 (seat_x11));
@@ -145,37 +143,11 @@ check_settings_changed (ClutterSeat *seat)
   XkbFreeKeyboard (desc, XkbAllComponentsMask, TRUE);
 }
 
-static MetaX11FilterReturn
-xkb_a11y_event_filter (XEvent       *xevent,
-                       ClutterEvent *clutter_event,
-                       gpointer      data)
-{
-  ClutterSeat *seat = CLUTTER_SEAT (data);
-  XkbEvent *xkbev = (XkbEvent *) xevent;
-
-  /* 'event_type' is set to zero on notifying us of updates in
-   * response to client requests (including our own) and non-zero
-   * to notify us of key/mouse events causing changes (like
-   * pressing shift 5 times to enable sticky keys).
-   *
-   * We only want to update out settings when it's in response to an
-   * explicit user input event, so require a non-zero event_type.
-   */
-  if (xevent->xany.type == (_xkb_event_base + XkbEventCode) &&
-      xkbev->any.xkb_type == XkbControlsNotify && xkbev->ctrls.event_type != 0)
-    check_settings_changed (seat);
-
-  return META_X11_FILTER_CONTINUE;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 is_xkb_available (Display *xdisplay)
 {
   int opcode, error_base, event_base, major, minor;
 
-  if (_xkb_event_base)
-    return TRUE;
-
   if (!XkbQueryExtension (xdisplay,
                           &opcode,
                           &event_base,
@@ -187,8 +159,6 @@ is_xkb_available (Display *xdisplay)
   if (!XkbUseExtension (xdisplay, &major, &minor))
     return FALSE;
 
-  _xkb_event_base = event_base;
-
   return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -337,11 +307,6 @@ meta_seat_x11_apply_kbd_a11y_settings (ClutterSeat         *seat,
 gboolean
 meta_seat_x11_a11y_init (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
-  MetaSeatX11 *seat_x11 = META_SEAT_X11 (seat);
-  MetaBackend *backend = meta_seat_x11_get_backend (META_SEAT_X11 (seat_x11));
-  ClutterBackend *clutter_backend = meta_backend_get_clutter_backend (backend);
-  MetaClutterBackendX11 *clutter_backend_x11 =
-    META_CLUTTER_BACKEND_X11 (clutter_backend);
   Display *xdisplay = xdisplay_from_seat (seat);
   guint event_mask;
 
@@ -352,9 +317,5 @@ meta_seat_x11_a11y_init (ClutterSeat *seat)
 
   XkbSelectEvents (xdisplay, XkbUseCoreKbd, event_mask, event_mask);
 
-  meta_clutter_backend_x11_add_filter (clutter_backend_x11,
-                                       xkb_a11y_event_filter,
-                                       seat);
-
   return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.h b/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.h
index cf9a79091..ef88f0c13 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.h
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-xkb-a11y-x11.h
@@ -34,3 +34,5 @@ meta_seat_x11_apply_kbd_a11y_settings (ClutterSeat         *seat,
 
 gboolean
 meta_seat_x11_a11y_init               (ClutterSeat            *seat);
+
+void meta_seat_x11_check_xkb_a11y_settings_changed (ClutterSeat *seat);