diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
index 0f92d42da..6ab33416c 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ struct _MetaCompositor
   guint           pre_paint_func_id;
   guint           post_paint_func_id;
 
+  guint           stage_presented_id;
+  guint           stage_after_paint_id;
+
   gint64          server_time_query_time;
   gint64          server_time_offset;
 
diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor.c b/src/compositor/compositor.c
index f47889f43..2a2c8fb3b 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor.c
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ meta_switch_workspace_completed (MetaCompositor *compositor)
 void
 meta_compositor_destroy (MetaCompositor *compositor)
 {
+  g_signal_handler_disconnect (compositor->stage,
+                               compositor->stage_after_paint_id);
+  g_signal_handler_disconnect (compositor->stage,
+                               compositor->stage_presented_id);
+
+  compositor->stage_after_paint_id = 0;
+  compositor->stage_presented_id = 0;
+  compositor->stage = NULL;
+
   clutter_threads_remove_repaint_func (compositor->pre_paint_func_id);
   clutter_threads_remove_repaint_func (compositor->post_paint_func_id);
 
@@ -520,9 +529,10 @@ meta_compositor_manage (MetaCompositor *compositor)
 
   compositor->stage = meta_backend_get_stage (backend);
 
-  g_signal_connect (compositor->stage, "presented",
-                    G_CALLBACK (on_presented),
-                    compositor);
+  compositor->stage_presented_id =
+    g_signal_connect (compositor->stage, "presented",
+                      G_CALLBACK (on_presented),
+                                                     compositor);
 
   /* We use connect_after() here to accomodate code in GNOME Shell that,
    * when benchmarking drawing performance, connects to ::after-paint
@@ -532,8 +542,9 @@ meta_compositor_manage (MetaCompositor *compositor)
    * connections to ::after-paint, connect() vs. connect_after() doesn't
    * matter.
    */
-  g_signal_connect_after (CLUTTER_STAGE (compositor->stage), "after-paint",
-                          G_CALLBACK (after_stage_paint), compositor);
+  compositor->stage_after_paint_id =
+    g_signal_connect_after (compositor->stage, "after-paint",
+                            G_CALLBACK (after_stage_paint), compositor);
 
   clutter_stage_set_sync_delay (CLUTTER_STAGE (compositor->stage), META_SYNC_DELAY);