diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index d6729085e..e87fcfa9f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -12891,17 +12891,16 @@ update_pango_context (ClutterBackend *backend,
   ClutterSettings *settings;
   PangoFontDescription *font_desc;
   const cairo_font_options_t *font_options;
-  gchar *font_name;
+  ClutterTextDirection dir;
   PangoDirection pango_dir;
+  gchar *font_name;
   gdouble resolution;
 
   settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
 
   /* update the text direction */
-  if (clutter_get_default_text_direction () == CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL)
-    pango_dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
-  else
-    pango_dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR;
+  dir = clutter_get_default_text_direction ();
+  pango_dir = clutter_text_direction_to_pango_direction (dir);
 
   pango_context_set_base_dir (context, pango_dir);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.h
index cf25693f1..f04bf456a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.h
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <cairo.h>
-#include <pango/pango.h>
 
 #include "cogl/cogl.h"
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.c
index 6c7b74274..a18571a00 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ clutter_keymap_get_caps_lock_state (ClutterKeymap *keymap)
   return priv->caps_lock_state;
 }
 
-PangoDirection
+ClutterTextDirection
 clutter_keymap_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap)
 {
   return CLUTTER_KEYMAP_GET_CLASS (keymap)->get_direction (keymap);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.h
index 4008fcf0a..3601e6f42 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-keymap.h
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@
 #error "Only <clutter/clutter.h> can be included directly."
 #endif
 
+#include <glib-object.h>
+
+#include "clutter/clutter-enums.h"
 #include "clutter/clutter-macros.h"
 
-#include <glib-object.h>
-#include <pango/pango.h>
 
 typedef struct _ClutterKeymap ClutterKeymap;
 typedef struct _ClutterKeymapClass ClutterKeymapClass;
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ struct _ClutterKeymapClass
 {
   GObjectClass parent_class;
 
-  PangoDirection (* get_direction) (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
+  ClutterTextDirection (* get_direction) (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
 };
 
 #define CLUTTER_TYPE_KEYMAP (clutter_keymap_get_type ())
@@ -50,4 +51,4 @@ gboolean clutter_keymap_get_num_lock_state  (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 gboolean clutter_keymap_get_caps_lock_state (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
 
-PangoDirection clutter_keymap_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
+ClutterTextDirection clutter_keymap_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-node.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-node.c
index 114c09252..94b20756b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-node.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-node.c
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 #include <gobject/gvaluecollector.h>
-#include <pango/pango.h>
 
 #include "cogl/cogl.h"
 #include "clutter/clutter-paint-node-private.h"
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
index 1db1fed6a..bd0dcac69 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #include <string.h>
 #include <glib.h>
+#include <pango/pango.h>
 
 #include "cogl-pango/cogl-pango.h"
 
@@ -145,10 +146,13 @@ void  _clutter_util_fully_transform_vertices (const graphene_matrix_t  *modelvie
                                               int                       n_vertices);
 
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
-PangoDirection _clutter_pango_unichar_direction (gunichar ch);
+ClutterTextDirection clutter_unichar_direction (gunichar ch);
 
-PangoDirection _clutter_pango_find_base_dir     (const gchar *text,
-                                                 gint         length);
+ClutterTextDirection _clutter_find_base_dir (const gchar *text,
+                                             gint         length);
+
+PangoDirection
+clutter_text_direction_to_pango_direction (ClutterTextDirection dir);
 
 typedef enum _ClutterCullResult
 {
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
index 77484a681..9f2b3544b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
@@ -732,17 +732,18 @@ clutter_text_create_layout_no_cache (ClutterText       *text,
     }
   else
     {
+      ClutterTextDirection dir;
       PangoDirection pango_dir;
+      PangoContext *context;
 
       if (priv->password_char != 0)
-        pango_dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+        dir = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
       else
-        pango_dir = _clutter_pango_find_base_dir (contents, contents_len);
+        dir = _clutter_find_base_dir (contents, contents_len);
 
-      if (pango_dir == PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL)
+      if (dir == CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT)
         {
           ClutterBackend *backend = clutter_get_default_backend ();
-          ClutterTextDirection text_dir;
 
           if (clutter_actor_has_key_focus (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text)))
             {
@@ -751,22 +752,20 @@ clutter_text_create_layout_no_cache (ClutterText       *text,
 
               seat = clutter_backend_get_default_seat (backend);
               keymap = clutter_seat_get_keymap (seat);
-              pango_dir = clutter_keymap_get_direction (keymap);
+              dir = clutter_keymap_get_direction (keymap);
             }
           else
             {
-              text_dir = clutter_actor_get_text_direction (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text));
-
-              if (text_dir == CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL)
-                pango_dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
-              else
-                pango_dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR;
-           }
+              dir = clutter_actor_get_text_direction (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text));
+            }
         }
 
-      pango_context_set_base_dir (clutter_actor_get_pango_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text)), pango_dir);
+      pango_dir = clutter_text_direction_to_pango_direction (dir);
+      context = clutter_actor_get_pango_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text));
 
-      priv->resolved_direction = pango_dir;
+      pango_context_set_base_dir (context, pango_dir);
+
+      priv->resolved_direction = dir;
 
       pango_layout_set_text (layout, contents, contents_len);
     }
@@ -2686,7 +2685,7 @@ clutter_text_paint (ClutterActor        *self,
       actor_width = alloc_width - 2 * TEXT_PADDING;
       text_width  = pango_to_pixels (logical_rect.width);
 
-      rtl = priv->resolved_direction == PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
+      rtl = priv->resolved_direction == CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL;
 
       if (actor_width < text_width)
         {
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-util.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-util.c
index 973a9f29d..26f38f083 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-util.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-util.c
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ clutter_interval_register_progress_func (GType               value_type,
   G_UNLOCK (progress_funcs);
 }
 
-PangoDirection
-_clutter_pango_unichar_direction (gunichar ch)
+ClutterTextDirection
+clutter_unichar_direction (gunichar ch)
 {
   FriBidiCharType fribidi_ch_type;
 
@@ -266,30 +266,30 @@ _clutter_pango_unichar_direction (gunichar ch)
   fribidi_ch_type = fribidi_get_bidi_type (ch);
 
   if (!FRIBIDI_IS_STRONG (fribidi_ch_type))
-    return PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+    return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
   else if (FRIBIDI_IS_RTL (fribidi_ch_type))
-    return PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
+    return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL;
   else
-    return PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR;
+    return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR;
 }
 
-PangoDirection
-_clutter_pango_find_base_dir (const gchar *text,
-                              gint         length)
+ClutterTextDirection
+_clutter_find_base_dir (const gchar *text,
+                        gint         length)
 {
-  PangoDirection dir = PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+  ClutterTextDirection dir = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
   const gchar *p;
 
-  g_return_val_if_fail (text != NULL || length == 0, PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (text != NULL || length == 0, CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT);
 
   p = text;
   while ((length < 0 || p < text + length) && *p)
     {
       gunichar wc = g_utf8_get_char (p);
 
-      dir = _clutter_pango_unichar_direction (wc);
+      dir = clutter_unichar_direction (wc);
 
-      if (dir != PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL)
+      if (dir != CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT)
         break;
 
       p = g_utf8_next_char (p);
@@ -297,3 +297,18 @@ _clutter_pango_find_base_dir (const gchar *text,
 
   return dir;
 }
+
+PangoDirection
+clutter_text_direction_to_pango_direction (ClutterTextDirection dir)
+{
+  switch (dir)
+    {
+    case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL:
+      return PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
+    case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR:
+      return PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR;
+    default:
+    case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT:
+      return PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-keymap-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-keymap-native.c
index df87571fa..42eb99c43 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-keymap-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-keymap-native.c
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ meta_keymap_native_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_keymap_native_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
-static PangoDirection
+static ClutterTextDirection
 meta_keymap_native_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap)
 {
-  return PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+  return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.c
index dbb07723b..b546b6a7c 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ struct _DirectionCacheEntry
 {
   uint32_t serial;
   Atom group_atom;
-  PangoDirection direction;
+  ClutterTextDirection direction;
 };
 
 struct _MetaKeymapX11
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ struct _MetaKeymapX11
   ClutterModifierType scroll_lock_mask;
   ClutterModifierType level3_shift_mask;
 
-  PangoDirection current_direction;
+  ClutterTextDirection current_direction;
 
   XkbDescPtr xkb_desc;
   int xkb_event_base;
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ update_locked_mods (MetaKeymapX11 *keymap_x11,
  * is taken from GDK:
  *      gdk/x11/gdkkeys-x11.c
  */
-static PangoDirection
+static ClutterTextDirection
 get_direction (XkbDescPtr xkb,
                int        group)
 {
@@ -257,16 +257,16 @@ get_direction (XkbDescPtr xkb,
     {
       int level = 0;
       KeySym sym = XkbKeySymEntry (xkb, code, level, group);
-      PangoDirection dir =
-        _clutter_pango_unichar_direction (clutter_keysym_to_unicode (sym));
+      ClutterTextDirection dir =
+        clutter_unichar_direction (clutter_keysym_to_unicode (sym));
 
       switch (dir)
         {
-        case PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL:
+        case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL:
           rtl_minus_ltr++;
           break;
 
-        case PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR:
+        case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR:
           rtl_minus_ltr--;
           break;
 
@@ -276,12 +276,12 @@ get_direction (XkbDescPtr xkb,
     }
 
   if (rtl_minus_ltr > 0)
-    return PANGO_DIRECTION_RTL;
+    return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL;
 
-  return PANGO_DIRECTION_LTR;
+  return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR;
 }
 
-static PangoDirection
+static ClutterTextDirection
 get_direction_from_cache (MetaKeymapX11 *keymap_x11,
                           XkbDescPtr     xkb,
                           int            group)
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ get_direction_from_cache (MetaKeymapX11 *keymap_x11,
   Atom group_atom = xkb->names->groups[group];
   gboolean cache_hit = FALSE;
   DirectionCacheEntry *cache = keymap_x11->group_direction_cache;
-  PangoDirection direction = PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+  ClutterTextDirection direction = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
   int i;
 
   if (keymap_x11->has_direction)
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ get_direction_from_cache (MetaKeymapX11 *keymap_x11,
       for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (keymap_x11->group_direction_cache); i++)
         {
           cache[i].group_atom = 0;
-          cache[i].direction = PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+          cache[i].direction = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
           cache[i].serial = keymap_x11->current_cache_serial;
         }
 
@@ -514,12 +514,12 @@ meta_keymap_x11_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_keymap_x11_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
-static PangoDirection
+static ClutterTextDirection
 meta_keymap_x11_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap)
 {
   MetaKeymapX11 *keymap_x11;
 
-  g_return_val_if_fail (META_IS_KEYMAP_X11 (keymap), PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (META_IS_KEYMAP_X11 (keymap), CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT);
 
   keymap_x11 = META_KEYMAP_X11 (keymap);
 
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ meta_keymap_x11_get_direction (ClutterKeymap *keymap)
     }
   else
     {
-      return PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+      return CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
     }
 }
 
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ meta_keymap_x11_class_init (MetaKeymapX11Class *klass)
 static void
 meta_keymap_x11_init (MetaKeymapX11 *keymap)
 {
-  keymap->current_direction = PANGO_DIRECTION_NEUTRAL;
+  keymap->current_direction = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_DEFAULT;
   keymap->current_group = -1;
   keymap->reserved_keycodes = g_hash_table_new (NULL, NULL);
   keymap->available_keycodes = g_queue_new ();
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.h b/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.h
index 537618778..e3534cbe7 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.h
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-keymap-x11.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <glib-object.h>
-#include <pango/pango.h>
 
 #include "clutter/clutter.h"
 
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 06255bf84..8f8a6571d 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ mutter_pkg_deps = [
   gio_unix_dep,
   glib_dep,
   gsettings_desktop_schemas_dep,
-  pango_dep,
 ]
 
 mutter_pkg_private_deps = [
diff --git a/src/meta/prefs.h b/src/meta/prefs.h
index b692d5a0b..1afc3dc2e 100644
--- a/src/meta/prefs.h
+++ b/src/meta/prefs.h
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <pango/pango-font.h>
 #include <gdesktop-enums.h>
 #include <gio/gio.h>