diff --git a/js/ui/messageTray.js b/js/ui/messageTray.js
index 1722861d7..457fc772a 100644
--- a/js/ui/messageTray.js
+++ b/js/ui/messageTray.js
@@ -1618,12 +1618,7 @@ const MessageTray = new Lang.Class({
         this._sources = new Hash.Map();
         this._chatSummaryItemsCount = 0;
 
-        let pointerWatcher = PointerWatcher.getPointerWatcher();
-        pointerWatcher.addWatch(TRAY_DWELL_CHECK_INTERVAL, Lang.bind(this, this._checkTrayDwell));
-        this._trayDwellTimeoutId = 0;
-        this._trayDwelling = false;
-        this._trayDwellUserTime = 0;
-
+        this._setupTrayDwellIfNeeded();
         this._sessionUpdated();
 
         this._noMessages = new St.Label({ text: _("No Messages"),
@@ -1636,6 +1631,18 @@ const MessageTray = new Lang.Class({
         this._updateNoMessagesLabel();
     },
 
+    _setupTrayDwellIfNeeded: function() {
+        // If we don't have extended barrier features, then we need
+        // to support the old tray dwelling mechanism.
+        if (!global.display.supports_extended_barriers()) {
+            let pointerWatcher = PointerWatcher.getPointerWatcher();
+            pointerWatcher.addWatch(TRAY_DWELL_CHECK_INTERVAL, Lang.bind(this, this._checkTrayDwell));
+            this._trayDwellTimeoutId = 0;
+            this._trayDwelling = false;
+            this._trayDwellUserTime = 0;
+        }
+    },
+
     _updateNoMessagesLabel: function() {
         this._noMessages.visible = this._sources.size() == 0;
     },