diff --git a/src/x11/events.c b/src/x11/events.c
index 88b8fb639..eca096c94 100644
--- a/src/x11/events.c
+++ b/src/x11/events.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "backends/meta-cursor-tracker-private.h"
 #include "backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.h"
 #include "compositor/meta-compositor-x11.h"
+#include "cogl/cogl-trace.h"
 #include "core/bell.h"
 #include "core/display-private.h"
 #include "core/meta-workspace-manager-private.h"
@@ -1766,6 +1767,9 @@ meta_x11_display_handle_xevent (MetaX11Display *x11_display,
   XIEvent *input_event;
   MetaCursorTracker *cursor_tracker;
 
+  COGL_TRACE_BEGIN_SCOPED (MetaX11DisplayHandleXevent,
+                           "X11Display (handle X11 event)");
+
 #if 0
   meta_spew_event_print (x11_display, event);
 #endif