diff --git a/src/backends/meta-egl.c b/src/backends/meta-egl.c
index 7e75d8675..258f5be51 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-egl.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-egl.c
@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ set_egl_error (GError **error)
     return;
 
   error_str = get_egl_error_str ();
-  g_set_error (error, G_IO_ERROR,
-               G_IO_ERROR_FAILED,
-               error_str);
+  g_set_error_literal (error, G_IO_ERROR,
+                       G_IO_ERROR_FAILED,
+                       error_str);
 }
 
 static gboolean