diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
index c2e91d7a7..8e7782df3 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ clutter_event_set_device (ClutterEvent       *event,
     {
       ClutterEventPrivate *real_event = (ClutterEventPrivate *) event;
 
-      real_event->device = device;
+      g_set_object (&real_event->device, device);
     }
 
   switch (event->type)
@@ -1362,8 +1362,8 @@ clutter_event_copy (const ClutterEvent *event)
     {
       ClutterEventPrivate *real_event = (ClutterEventPrivate *) event;
 
-      new_real_event->device = real_event->device;
-      new_real_event->source_device = real_event->source_device;
+      g_set_object (&new_real_event->device, real_event->device);
+      g_set_object (&new_real_event->source_device, real_event->source_device);
       new_real_event->delta_x = real_event->delta_x;
       new_real_event->delta_y = real_event->delta_y;
       new_real_event->is_pointer_emulated = real_event->is_pointer_emulated;
@@ -1433,6 +1433,14 @@ clutter_event_free (ClutterEvent *event)
     {
       _clutter_backend_free_event_data (clutter_get_default_backend (), event);
 
+      if (is_event_allocated (event))
+        {
+          ClutterEventPrivate *real_event = (ClutterEventPrivate *) event;
+
+          g_clear_object (&real_event->device);
+          g_clear_object (&real_event->source_device);
+        }
+
       switch (event->type)
         {
         case CLUTTER_BUTTON_PRESS:
@@ -1687,7 +1695,7 @@ clutter_event_set_source_device (ClutterEvent       *event,
     return;
 
   real_event = (ClutterEventPrivate *) event;
-  real_event->source_device = device;
+  g_set_object (&real_event->source_device, device);
 }
 
 /**