diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device-private.h
index cb2aeb62a..9ceb22c2b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device-private.h
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ struct _ClutterInputDevice
 {
   GObject parent_instance;
 
-  int id;
-
   ClutterInputDeviceType device_type;
   ClutterInputMode device_mode;
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.c
index 883f90848..52613317f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.c
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ enum
 
   PROP_BACKEND,
 
-  PROP_ID,
   PROP_NAME,
 
   PROP_DEVICE_TYPE,
@@ -162,10 +161,6 @@ clutter_input_device_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
-    case PROP_ID:
-      self->id = g_value_get_int (value);
-      break;
-
     case PROP_DEVICE_TYPE:
       self->device_type = g_value_get_enum (value);
       break;
@@ -234,10 +229,6 @@ clutter_input_device_get_property (GObject    *gobject,
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
-    case PROP_ID:
-      g_value_set_int (value, self->id);
-      break;
-
     case PROP_DEVICE_TYPE:
       g_value_set_enum (value, self->device_type);
       break;
@@ -305,22 +296,6 @@ clutter_input_device_class_init (ClutterInputDeviceClass *klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  /**
-   * ClutterInputDevice:id:
-   *
-   * The unique identifier of the device
-   *
-   * Since: 1.2
-   */
-  obj_props[PROP_ID] =
-    g_param_spec_int ("id",
-                      P_("Id"),
-                      P_("Unique identifier of the device"),
-                      -1, G_MAXINT,
-                      0,
-                      CLUTTER_PARAM_READWRITE |
-                      G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY);
-
   /**
    * ClutterInputDevice:name:
    *
@@ -506,7 +481,6 @@ clutter_input_device_class_init (ClutterInputDeviceClass *klass)
 static void
 clutter_input_device_init (ClutterInputDevice *self)
 {
-  self->id = -1;
   self->device_type = CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE;
 
   self->click_count = 0;
@@ -814,24 +788,6 @@ clutter_input_device_get_device_type (ClutterInputDevice *device)
   return device->device_type;
 }
 
-/**
- * clutter_input_device_get_device_id:
- * @device: a #ClutterInputDevice
- *
- * Retrieves the unique identifier of @device
- *
- * Return value: the identifier of the device
- *
- * Since: 1.0
- */
-gint
-clutter_input_device_get_device_id (ClutterInputDevice *device)
-{
-  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_INPUT_DEVICE (device), -1);
-
-  return device->id;
-}
-
 /**
  * clutter_input_device_set_enabled:
  * @device: a #ClutterInputDevice
@@ -970,8 +926,8 @@ clutter_input_device_update (ClutterInputDevice   *device,
     return NULL;
 
   CLUTTER_NOTE (EVENT,
-                "Actor under cursor (device %d, at %.2f, %.2f): %s",
-                clutter_input_device_get_device_id (device),
+                "Actor under cursor (device '%s', at %.2f, %.2f): %s",
+                clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device),
                 point.x,
                 point.y,
                 _clutter_actor_get_debug_name (new_cursor_actor));
@@ -1636,12 +1592,8 @@ _clutter_input_device_set_associated_device (ClutterInputDevice *device,
   if (device->associated != NULL)
     g_object_ref (device->associated);
 
-  CLUTTER_NOTE (MISC, "Associating device %d '%s' to device %d '%s'",
-                clutter_input_device_get_device_id (device),
+  CLUTTER_NOTE (MISC, "Associating device '%s' to device '%s'",
                 clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device),
-                device->associated != NULL
-                  ? clutter_input_device_get_device_id (device->associated)
-                  : -1,
                 device->associated != NULL
                   ? clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device->associated)
                   : "(none)");
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.h
index 536cf8c57..51f67583c 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-input-device.h
@@ -82,8 +82,6 @@ GType clutter_input_device_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterInputDeviceType  clutter_input_device_get_device_type    (ClutterInputDevice  *device);
-CLUTTER_EXPORT
-gint                    clutter_input_device_get_device_id      (ClutterInputDevice  *device);
 
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 gboolean                clutter_input_device_get_coords        (ClutterInputDevice   *device,
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-input-device-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-input-device-x11.c
index 45c730d80..7d5180766 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-input-device-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-input-device-x11.c
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ struct _MetaInputDeviceX11Class
 
 #define N_BUTTONS       5
 
+enum
+{
+  PROP_0,
+  PROP_ID,
+  N_PROPS
+};
+
+static GParamSpec *props[N_PROPS] = { 0 };
+
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (MetaInputDeviceX11,
                meta_input_device_x11,
                META_TYPE_INPUT_DEVICE)
@@ -58,8 +67,6 @@ meta_input_device_x11_constructed (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaInputDeviceX11 *device_xi2 = META_INPUT_DEVICE_X11 (object);
 
-  g_object_get (object, "id", &device_xi2->device_id, NULL);
-
   if (G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_input_device_x11_parent_class)->constructed)
     G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_input_device_x11_parent_class)->constructed (object);
 
@@ -136,6 +143,42 @@ meta_input_device_x11_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_input_device_x11_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
+static void
+meta_input_device_x11_set_property (GObject      *object,
+                                    guint         prop_id,
+                                    const GValue *value,
+                                    GParamSpec   *pspec)
+{
+  MetaInputDeviceX11 *device_x11 = META_INPUT_DEVICE_X11 (object);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_ID:
+      device_x11->device_id = g_value_get_int (value);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+meta_input_device_x11_get_property (GObject    *object,
+                                    guint       prop_id,
+                                    GValue     *value,
+                                    GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+  MetaInputDeviceX11 *device_x11 = META_INPUT_DEVICE_X11 (object);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_ID:
+      g_value_set_int (value, device_x11->device_id);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+    }
+}
+
 static int
 meta_input_device_x11_get_group_n_modes (ClutterInputDevice *device,
                                          int                 group)
@@ -221,11 +264,24 @@ meta_input_device_x11_class_init (MetaInputDeviceX11Class *klass)
 
   gobject_class->constructed = meta_input_device_x11_constructed;
   gobject_class->finalize = meta_input_device_x11_finalize;
+  gobject_class->set_property = meta_input_device_x11_set_property;
+  gobject_class->get_property = meta_input_device_x11_get_property;
 
   device_class->keycode_to_evdev = meta_input_device_x11_keycode_to_evdev;
   device_class->is_grouped = meta_input_device_x11_is_grouped;
   device_class->get_group_n_modes = meta_input_device_x11_get_group_n_modes;
   device_class->is_mode_switch_button = meta_input_device_x11_is_mode_switch_button;
+
+  props[PROP_ID] =
+    g_param_spec_int ("id",
+                      P_("Id"),
+                      P_("Unique identifier of the device"),
+                      -1, G_MAXINT,
+                      0,
+                      CLUTTER_PARAM_READWRITE |
+                      G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY);
+
+  g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class, N_PROPS, props);
 }
 
 static void