diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index f0290bb12..3bbe785f7 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
 #include "clutter-master-clock.h"
 #include "clutter-private.h"
 #include "clutter-profile.h"
+#include "clutter-stage-manager.h"
 #include "clutter-stage-private.h"
 #include "clutter-version.h" 	/* For flavour define */
 
@@ -264,9 +265,28 @@ clutter_redraw (ClutterStage *stage)
 void
 clutter_set_motion_events_enabled (gboolean enable)
 {
-  ClutterMainContext *context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+  ClutterStageManager *stage_manager;
+  ClutterMainContext *context;
+  const GSList *l;
 
+  enable = !!enable;
+
+  context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+  if (context->motion_events_per_actor == enable)
+    return;
+
+  /* store the flag for later query and for newly created stages */
   context->motion_events_per_actor = enable;
+
+  /* propagate the change to all stages */
+  stage_manager = clutter_stage_manager_get_default ();
+
+  for (l = clutter_stage_manager_peek_stages (stage_manager);
+       l != NULL;
+       l = l->next)
+    {
+      _clutter_stage_set_motion_events_enabled (l->data, enable);
+    }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2355,10 +2375,8 @@ _clutter_process_event_details (ClutterActor        *stage,
         break;
 
       case CLUTTER_MOTION:
-        /* Only stage gets motion events if clutter_set_motion_events is TRUE,
-         * and the event is not a synthetic event with source set.
-         */
-        if (!context->motion_events_per_actor &&
+        /* only the stage gets motion events if they are enabled */
+        if (!_clutter_stage_get_motion_events_enabled (CLUTTER_STAGE (stage)) &&
             event->any.source == NULL)
           {
             /* Only stage gets motion events */
@@ -2368,13 +2386,15 @@ _clutter_process_event_details (ClutterActor        *stage,
             if (context->pointer_grab_actor != NULL)
               {
                 clutter_actor_event (context->pointer_grab_actor,
-                                     event, FALSE);
+                                     event,
+                                     FALSE);
                 break;
               }
             else if (device != NULL && device->pointer_grab_actor != NULL)
               {
                 clutter_actor_event (device->pointer_grab_actor,
-                                     event, FALSE);
+                                     event,
+                                     FALSE);
                 break;
               }
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage-private.h b/clutter/clutter-stage-private.h
index f61fc9d32..3217a822f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage-private.h
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ void            _clutter_stage_remove_device    (ClutterStage       *stage,
 gboolean        _clutter_stage_has_device       (ClutterStage       *stage,
                                                  ClutterInputDevice *device);
 
+void     _clutter_stage_set_motion_events_enabled (ClutterStage *stage,
+                                                   gboolean      enabled);
+gboolean _clutter_stage_get_motion_events_enabled (ClutterStage *stage);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __CLUTTER_STAGE_PRIVATE_H__ */
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index d56fdcf21..5832b7209 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ struct _ClutterStagePrivate
   guint dirty_projection       : 1;
   guint have_valid_pick_buffer : 1;
   guint accept_focus           : 1;
+  guint motion_events_enabled  : 1;
 };
 
 enum
@@ -1636,6 +1637,7 @@ clutter_stage_init (ClutterStage *self)
   priv->use_fog                = FALSE;
   priv->throttle_motion_events = TRUE;
   priv->min_size_changed       = FALSE;
+  priv->motion_events_enabled  = clutter_get_motion_events_enabled ();
 
   priv->color = default_stage_color;
 
@@ -3465,3 +3467,23 @@ _clutter_stage_has_device (ClutterStage       *stage,
 
   return g_hash_table_lookup (priv->devices, device) != NULL;
 }
+
+void
+_clutter_stage_set_motion_events_enabled (ClutterStage *stage,
+                                          gboolean      enabled)
+{
+  ClutterStagePrivate *priv = stage->priv;
+
+  enabled = !!enabled;
+
+  if (priv->motion_events_enabled != enabled)
+    {
+      priv->motion_events_enabled = enabled;
+    }
+}
+
+gboolean
+_clutter_stage_get_motion_events_enabled (ClutterStage *stage)
+{
+  return stage->priv->motion_events_enabled;
+}