diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
index 81d9629d0..2cc9add75 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ struct _MetaBackendNative
   MetaKms *kms;
 
   gboolean is_headless;
-
-  gulong udev_device_added_handler_id;
 };
 
 static GInitableIface *initable_parent_iface;
@@ -100,20 +98,11 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (MetaBackendNative, meta_backend_native, META_TYPE_BACKE
                          G_IMPLEMENT_INTERFACE (G_TYPE_INITABLE,
                                                 initable_iface_init))
 
-static void
-disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (MetaBackendNative *native);
-
 static void
 meta_backend_native_dispose (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaBackendNative *native = META_BACKEND_NATIVE (object);
 
-  if (native->udev_device_added_handler_id)
-    {
-      disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (native);
-      native->udev_device_added_handler_id = 0;
-    }
-
   if (native->kms)
     meta_kms_prepare_shutdown (native->kms);
 
@@ -485,20 +474,6 @@ on_udev_device_added (MetaUdev          *udev,
   meta_backend_add_gpu (backend, META_GPU (new_gpu_kms));
 }
 
-static void
-connect_udev_device_added_handler (MetaBackendNative *native)
-{
-  native->udev_device_added_handler_id =
-    g_signal_connect (native->udev, "device-added",
-                      G_CALLBACK (on_udev_device_added), native);
-}
-
-static void
-disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (MetaBackendNative *native)
-{
-  g_clear_signal_handler (&native->udev_device_added_handler_id, native->udev);
-}
-
 static gboolean
 init_gpus (MetaBackendNative  *native,
            GError            **error)
@@ -549,7 +524,9 @@ init_gpus (MetaBackendNative  *native,
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  connect_udev_device_added_handler (native);
+  g_signal_connect_object (native->udev, "device-added",
+                           G_CALLBACK (on_udev_device_added), native,
+                           0);
 
   return TRUE;
 }
@@ -724,8 +701,7 @@ meta_backend_native_pause (MetaBackendNative *native)
 
   meta_seat_native_release_devices (seat);
   meta_renderer_pause (renderer);
-
-  disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (native);
+  meta_udev_pause (native->udev);
 
   meta_monitor_manager_native_pause (monitor_manager_native);
 }
@@ -749,10 +725,9 @@ void meta_backend_native_resume (MetaBackendNative *native)
                            "Backend (resume)");
 
   meta_monitor_manager_native_resume (monitor_manager_native);
+  meta_udev_resume (native->udev);
   meta_kms_resume (native->kms);
 
-  connect_udev_device_added_handler (native);
-
   meta_seat_native_reclaim_devices (seat);
   meta_renderer_resume (renderer);
 
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-udev.c b/src/backends/native/meta-udev.c
index c0e0e165f..16c44dc13 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-udev.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-udev.c
@@ -222,6 +222,18 @@ meta_udev_new (MetaBackendNative *backend_native)
   return udev;
 }
 
+void
+meta_udev_pause (MetaUdev *udev)
+{
+  g_signal_handler_block (udev->gudev_client, udev->uevent_handler_id);
+}
+
+void
+meta_udev_resume (MetaUdev *udev)
+{
+  g_signal_handler_unblock (udev->gudev_client, udev->uevent_handler_id);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_udev_finalize (GObject *object)
 {
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-udev.h b/src/backends/native/meta-udev.h
index 7b179329e..4d85c8f04 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-udev.h
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-udev.h
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ gboolean meta_udev_is_drm_device (MetaUdev    *udev,
 GList * meta_udev_list_drm_devices (MetaUdev  *udev,
                                     GError   **error);
 
+void meta_udev_pause (MetaUdev *udev);
+
+void meta_udev_resume (MetaUdev *udev);
+
 MetaUdev * meta_udev_new (MetaBackendNative *backend_native);
 
 #endif /* META_UDEV_H */