diff --git a/examples/cogland.c b/examples/cogland.c
index 50811adb7..4e95bc1a4 100644
--- a/examples/cogland.c
+++ b/examples/cogland.c
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 
 #include <wayland-server.h>
 
+#ifdef COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT
+#include <cogl/cogl-xlib.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef struct _CoglandCompositor CoglandCompositor;
 
 typedef struct
@@ -1046,6 +1050,78 @@ create_cogl_context (CoglandCompositor *compositor,
   return context;
 }
 
+#ifdef COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT
+
+static CoglFilterReturn
+x_event_cb (XEvent *event,
+            void *data)
+{
+  CoglandCompositor *compositor = data;
+
+  if (event->type == Expose)
+    cogland_queue_redraw (compositor);
+
+  return COGL_FILTER_CONTINUE;
+}
+
+#endif /* COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT */
+
+static gboolean
+timeout_cb (void *data)
+{
+  cogland_queue_redraw (data);
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
+static void
+init_redraws (CoglandCompositor *compositor)
+{
+#ifdef COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT
+  CoglRenderer *renderer = cogl_context_get_renderer (compositor->cogl_context);
+  CoglWinsysID winsys = cogl_renderer_get_winsys_id (renderer);
+
+  /* If Cogl is using X then we can listen for Expose events to know
+   * when to repaint the window. Otherwise we don't have any code to
+   * know when the contents of the window is dirty so we'll just
+   * redraw constantly */
+  switch (winsys)
+    {
+    case COGL_WINSYS_ID_GLX:
+    case COGL_WINSYS_ID_EGL_XLIB:
+      {
+        Display *display = cogl_xlib_renderer_get_display (renderer);
+        GList *l;
+
+        for (l = compositor->outputs; l; l = l->next)
+          {
+            CoglandOutput *output = l->data;
+            XWindowAttributes win_attribs;
+            Window win;
+
+            win = cogl_x11_onscreen_get_window_xid (output->onscreen);
+            if (XGetWindowAttributes (display, win, &win_attribs))
+              {
+                XSelectInput (display,
+                              win,
+                              win_attribs.your_event_mask | ExposureMask);
+                cogl_xlib_renderer_add_filter (renderer,
+                                               x_event_cb,
+                                               compositor);
+
+              }
+          }
+      }
+      return;
+
+    default:
+      break;
+    }
+#endif /* COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT */
+
+  g_timeout_add (16, timeout_cb, compositor);
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -1152,7 +1228,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   g_source_attach (cogl_source, NULL);
 
-  cogland_queue_redraw (&compositor);
+  init_redraws (&compositor);
 
   g_main_loop_run (loop);