diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-glx.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-glx.c
index 10642b2a4..7c9b4df64 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-glx.c
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ cogl_onscreen_glx_allocate (CoglFramebuffer  *framebuffer,
                                COGL_WINSYS_ERROR_CREATE_ONSCREEN,
                                "Unable to retrieve the X11 visual of context's "
                                "fbconfig");
+          mtk_x11_error_trap_pop (xlib_renderer->xdpy);
           return FALSE;
         }
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-xlib.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-xlib.c
index 50a320b7c..a0f21ca6a 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-xlib.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-onscreen-xlib.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ create_xwindow (CoglOnscreenXlib  *onscreen_xlib,
                    COGL_WINSYS_ERROR_CREATE_ONSCREEN,
                    "Unable to retrieve the X11 visual of context's "
                    "fbconfig");
+      mtk_x11_error_trap_pop (xlib_renderer->xdpy);
       return None;
     }