diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index 99cc6180c..c1c976986 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -577,6 +577,7 @@ meta_backend_x11_ungrab_device (MetaBackend *backend,
   int ret;
 
   ret = XIUngrabDevice (priv->xdisplay, device_id, timestamp);
+  XFlush (priv->xdisplay);
 
   return (ret == Success);
 }