diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
index d8f026f05..08d9da934 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.c
@@ -236,18 +236,22 @@ default_device:
       d = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_INPUT_DEVICE_X11,
                         "id", 0,
                         "device-type", CLUTTER_POINTER_DEVICE,
+                        "is-core", TRUE,
                         NULL);
       d->is_default = TRUE;
-      CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Added default pointer device %d", d->id);
+      CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Added core pointer device %d", d->id);
       _clutter_device_manager_add_device (manager, d);
+      backend->core_pointer = d;
 
       d = g_object_new (CLUTTER_TYPE_INPUT_DEVICE_X11,
                         "id", 1,
                         "device-type", CLUTTER_KEYBOARD_DEVICE,
+                        "is-core", TRUE,
                         NULL);
       d->is_default = TRUE;
-      CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Added default keyboard device %d", d->id);
+      CLUTTER_NOTE (BACKEND, "Added core keyboard device %d", d->id);
       _clutter_device_manager_add_device (manager, d);
+      backend->core_keyboard = d;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.h b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.h
index 95cd4c3fa..807dd3648 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.h
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-backend-x11.h
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ struct _ClutterBackendX11
   gboolean have_xinput;
 
   Time last_event_time;
+
+  ClutterInputDevice *core_pointer;
+  ClutterInputDevice *core_keyboard;
 };
 
 struct _ClutterBackendX11Class
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
index 549fef008..87a21f5dc 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-event-x11.c
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ _clutter_backend_x11_events_init (ClutterBackend *backend)
   g_source_add_poll (source, &event_source->event_poll_fd);
   g_source_set_can_recurse (source, TRUE);
   g_source_attach (source, NULL);
-
 }
 
 void
@@ -622,10 +621,9 @@ event_translate (ClutterBackend *backend,
 
     case KeyPress:
       event->key.type = event->type = CLUTTER_KEY_PRESS;
-      translate_key_event (backend, event, xevent);
+      event->key.device = backend_x11->core_keyboard;
 
-      /* default key device if no XInput support is defined */
-      event->key.device = clutter_device_manager_get_device (manager, 1);
+      translate_key_event (backend, event, xevent);
 
       set_user_time (backend_x11, &xwindow, xevent->xkey.time);
       break;
@@ -658,10 +656,9 @@ event_translate (ClutterBackend *backend,
         }
 
       event->key.type = event->type = CLUTTER_KEY_RELEASE;
-      translate_key_event (backend, event, xevent);
+      event->key.device = backend_x11->core_keyboard;
 
-      /* default key device if no XInput support is defined */
-      event->key.device = clutter_device_manager_get_device (manager, 1);
+      translate_key_event (backend, event, xevent);
       break;
 
     default:
@@ -675,7 +672,7 @@ event_translate (ClutterBackend *backend,
     {
       if (!clutter_x11_has_xinput ())
         {
-          device = clutter_device_manager_get_device (manager, 0);
+          device = backend_x11->core_pointer;
 
           /* Regular X event */
           switch (xevent->type)
diff --git a/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c b/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
index e0edfd1e9..2be771de3 100644
--- a/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
+++ b/clutter/x11/clutter-input-device-x11.c
@@ -22,20 +22,83 @@ struct _ClutterInputDeviceX11
   XEventClass        xevent_list[5];   /* MAX 5 event types */
   int                num_events;
 #endif
+
+  guint is_core : 1;
+};
+
+enum
+{
+  PROP_0,
+
+  PROP_IS_CORE
 };
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (ClutterInputDeviceX11,
                clutter_input_device_x11,
                CLUTTER_TYPE_INPUT_DEVICE);
 
+static void
+clutter_input_device_x11_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
+                                       guint         prop_id,
+                                       const GValue *value,
+                                       GParamSpec   *pspec)
+{
+  ClutterInputDeviceX11 *self = CLUTTER_INPUT_DEVICE_X11 (gobject);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_IS_CORE:
+      self->is_core = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+      break;
+
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (gobject, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+clutter_input_device_x11_get_property (GObject    *gobject,
+                                       guint       prop_id,
+                                       GValue     *value,
+                                       GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+  ClutterInputDeviceX11 *self = CLUTTER_INPUT_DEVICE_X11 (gobject);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_IS_CORE:
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, self->is_core);
+      break;
+
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (gobject, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
 static void
 clutter_input_device_x11_class_init (ClutterInputDeviceX11Class *klass)
 {
+  GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
+  GParamSpec *pspec;
+
+  gobject_class->set_property = clutter_input_device_x11_set_property;
+  gobject_class->get_property = clutter_input_device_x11_get_property;
+
+  pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("is-core",
+                                "Is Core",
+                                "Whether the device is a core one",
+                                FALSE,
+                                CLUTTER_PARAM_READWRITE |
+                                G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY);
+  g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_IS_CORE, pspec);
 }
 
 static void
 clutter_input_device_x11_init (ClutterInputDeviceX11 *self)
 {
+  self->is_core = FALSE;
 }
 
 gint