diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
index a641aae99..73672bd36 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
@@ -354,6 +354,17 @@ clutter_seat_get_keyboard (ClutterSeat *seat)
   return CLUTTER_SEAT_GET_CLASS (seat)->get_keyboard (seat);
 }
 
+/**
+ * clutter_seat_peek_devices: (skip)
+ **/
+const GList *
+clutter_seat_peek_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_SEAT (seat), NULL);
+
+  return CLUTTER_SEAT_GET_CLASS (seat)->peek_devices (seat);
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_seat_list_devices:
  * @seat: a #ClutterSeat
@@ -370,7 +381,7 @@ clutter_seat_list_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_SEAT (seat), NULL);
 
-  return CLUTTER_SEAT_GET_CLASS (seat)->list_devices (seat);
+  return g_list_copy ((GList *)clutter_seat_peek_devices (seat));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.h
index e12965e00..7818647af 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ struct _ClutterSeatClass
   ClutterInputDevice * (* get_pointer)  (ClutterSeat *seat);
   ClutterInputDevice * (* get_keyboard) (ClutterSeat *seat);
 
-  GList * (* list_devices) (ClutterSeat *seat);
+  const GList * (* peek_devices) (ClutterSeat *seat);
 
   void (* bell_notify) (ClutterSeat *seat);
 
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterInputDevice * clutter_seat_get_keyboard (ClutterSeat *seat);
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 GList * clutter_seat_list_devices (ClutterSeat *seat);
+const GList * clutter_seat_peek_devices (ClutterSeat *seat);
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 void clutter_seat_bell_notify (ClutterSeat *seat);
 
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-seat-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-seat-native.c
index ecff929bd..fa984fd1b 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-seat-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-seat-native.c
@@ -2636,17 +2636,12 @@ meta_seat_native_get_keyboard (ClutterSeat *seat)
   return seat_native->core_keyboard;
 }
 
-static GList *
-meta_seat_native_list_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
+static const GList *
+meta_seat_native_peek_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
   MetaSeatNative *seat_native = META_SEAT_NATIVE (seat);
-  GList *devices = NULL;
-  GSList *l;
 
-  for (l = seat_native->devices; l; l = l->next)
-    devices = g_list_prepend (devices, l->data);
-
-  return devices;
+  return (const GList *) seat_native->devices;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2771,7 +2766,7 @@ meta_seat_native_class_init (MetaSeatNativeClass *klass)
 
   seat_class->get_pointer = meta_seat_native_get_pointer;
   seat_class->get_keyboard = meta_seat_native_get_keyboard;
-  seat_class->list_devices = meta_seat_native_list_devices;
+  seat_class->peek_devices = meta_seat_native_peek_devices;
   seat_class->bell_notify = meta_seat_native_bell_notify;
   seat_class->get_keymap = meta_seat_native_get_keymap;
   seat_class->copy_event_data = meta_seat_native_copy_event_data;
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-seat-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-seat-x11.c
index f20cac148..1a29bbbac 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-seat-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-seat-x11.c
@@ -1471,16 +1471,12 @@ meta_seat_x11_get_keyboard (ClutterSeat *seat)
   return seat_x11->core_keyboard;
 }
 
-static GList *
-meta_seat_x11_list_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
+static const GList *
+meta_seat_x11_peek_devices (ClutterSeat *seat)
 {
   MetaSeatX11 *seat_x11 = META_SEAT_X11 (seat);
-  GList *retval = NULL, *l;
 
-  for (l = seat_x11->devices; l; l = l->next)
-    retval = g_list_prepend (retval, l->data);
-
-  return retval;
+  return (const GList *) seat_x11->devices;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1565,7 +1561,7 @@ meta_seat_x11_class_init (MetaSeatX11Class *klass)
 
   seat_class->get_pointer = meta_seat_x11_get_pointer;
   seat_class->get_keyboard = meta_seat_x11_get_keyboard;
-  seat_class->list_devices = meta_seat_x11_list_devices;
+  seat_class->peek_devices = meta_seat_x11_peek_devices;
   seat_class->bell_notify = meta_seat_x11_bell_notify;
   seat_class->get_keymap = meta_seat_x11_get_keymap;
   seat_class->copy_event_data = meta_seat_x11_copy_event_data;