diff --git a/src/backends/meta-input-settings-private.h b/src/backends/meta-input-settings-private.h
index 893d4ec23..8e037cb5f 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-input-settings-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-input-settings-private.h
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ struct _MetaInputSettingsClass
                                   GDesktopStylusButtonAction  tertiary);
   gboolean (* has_two_finger_scroll) (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
                                       ClutterInputDevice *device);
+  gboolean (* is_trackball_device) (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
+                                    ClutterInputDevice *device);
 };
 
 GSettings *           meta_input_settings_get_tablet_settings (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
@@ -141,6 +143,4 @@ WacomDevice * meta_input_settings_get_tablet_wacom_device (MetaInputSettings *se
                                                            ClutterInputDevice *device);
 #endif
 
-gboolean meta_input_device_is_trackball (ClutterInputDevice *device);
-
 #endif /* META_INPUT_SETTINGS_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-input-settings.c b/src/backends/meta-input-settings.c
index fd3ba3dec..48ebe59c6 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-input-settings.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-input-settings.c
@@ -709,22 +709,6 @@ update_touchpad_send_events (MetaInputSettings  *input_settings,
     }
 }
 
-gboolean
-meta_input_device_is_trackball (ClutterInputDevice *device)
-{
-  gboolean is_trackball;
-  char *name;
-
-  if (clutter_input_device_get_device_mode (device) == CLUTTER_INPUT_MODE_MASTER)
-    return FALSE;
-
-  name = g_ascii_strdown (clutter_input_device_get_device_name (device), -1);
-  is_trackball = strstr (name, "trackball") != NULL;
-  g_free (name);
-
-  return is_trackball;
-}
-
 static void
 update_trackball_scroll_button (MetaInputSettings  *input_settings,
                                 ClutterInputDevice *device)
@@ -733,11 +717,12 @@ update_trackball_scroll_button (MetaInputSettings  *input_settings,
   MetaInputSettingsPrivate *priv;
   guint button;
 
-  if (device && !meta_input_device_is_trackball (device))
-    return;
-
   priv = meta_input_settings_get_instance_private (input_settings);
   input_settings_class = META_INPUT_SETTINGS_GET_CLASS (input_settings);
+
+  if (device && !input_settings_class->is_trackball_device (input_settings, device))
+    return;
+
   /* This key is 'i' in the schema but it also specifies a minimum
    * range of 0 so the cast here is safe. */
   button = (guint) g_settings_get_int (priv->trackball_settings, "scroll-wheel-emulation-button");
@@ -756,7 +741,7 @@ update_trackball_scroll_button (MetaInputSettings  *input_settings,
         {
           device = devices->data;
 
-          if (meta_input_device_is_trackball (device))
+          if (input_settings_class->is_trackball_device (input_settings, device))
             input_settings_class->set_scroll_button (input_settings, device, button);
 
           devices = devices->next;
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-input-settings-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-input-settings-native.c
index 7450725f1..7ff94e2db 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-input-settings-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-input-settings-native.c
@@ -398,9 +398,10 @@ is_mouse_device (ClutterInputDevice *device)
 }
 
 static gboolean
-is_trackball_device (ClutterInputDevice *device)
+meta_input_settings_native_is_trackball_device (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
+                                                ClutterInputDevice *device)
 {
-  return meta_input_device_is_trackball (device);
+  return has_udev_property (device, "ID_INPUT_TRACKBALL");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -419,7 +420,7 @@ meta_input_settings_native_set_trackball_accel_profile (MetaInputSettings
                                                         ClutterInputDevice         *device,
                                                         GDesktopPointerAccelProfile profile)
 {
-  if (!is_trackball_device (device))
+  if (!meta_input_settings_native_is_trackball_device (settings, device))
     return;
 
   set_device_accel_profile (device, profile);
@@ -588,6 +589,7 @@ meta_input_settings_native_class_init (MetaInputSettingsNativeClass *klass)
   input_settings_class->set_stylus_button_map = meta_input_settings_native_set_stylus_button_map;
 
   input_settings_class->has_two_finger_scroll = meta_input_settings_native_has_two_finger_scroll;
+  input_settings_class->is_trackball_device = meta_input_settings_native_is_trackball_device;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-input-settings-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-input-settings-x11.c
index cfcdf2ece..7e1f03520 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-input-settings-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-input-settings-x11.c
@@ -500,10 +500,10 @@ is_mouse (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
 }
 
 static gboolean
-is_trackball (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
-              ClutterInputDevice *device)
+meta_input_settings_x11_is_trackball_device (MetaInputSettings  *settings,
+                                             ClutterInputDevice *device)
 {
-  return meta_input_device_is_trackball (device);
+  return has_udev_property (settings, device, "ID_INPUT_TRACKBALL");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ meta_input_settings_x11_set_trackball_accel_profile (MetaInputSettings
                                                      ClutterInputDevice         *device,
                                                      GDesktopPointerAccelProfile profile)
 {
-  if (!is_trackball (settings, device))
+  if (!meta_input_settings_x11_is_trackball_device (settings, device))
     return;
 
   set_device_accel_profile (device, profile);
@@ -852,6 +852,7 @@ meta_input_settings_x11_class_init (MetaInputSettingsX11Class *klass)
   input_settings_class->set_stylus_button_map = meta_input_settings_x11_set_stylus_button_map;
 
   input_settings_class->has_two_finger_scroll = meta_input_settings_x11_has_two_finger_scroll;
+  input_settings_class->is_trackball_device = meta_input_settings_x11_is_trackball_device;
 }
 
 static void