diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend.c b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
index aca0d6fc9..14f15d66a 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
@@ -191,12 +191,16 @@ G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE_WITH_CODE (MetaBackend, meta_backend, G_TYPE_OBJECT,
                                                          initable_iface_init));
 
 static void
-meta_backend_finalize (GObject *object)
+meta_backend_dispose (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaBackend *backend = META_BACKEND (object);
   MetaBackendPrivate *priv = meta_backend_get_instance_private (backend);
 
-  g_list_free_full (priv->gpus, g_object_unref);
+  if (priv->gpus)
+    {
+      g_list_free_full (priv->gpus, g_object_unref);
+      priv->gpus = NULL;
+    }
 
   g_clear_object (&priv->current_device);
   g_clear_object (&priv->monitor_manager);
@@ -213,9 +217,17 @@ meta_backend_finalize (GObject *object)
 #endif
 
   if (priv->sleep_signal_id)
-    g_dbus_connection_signal_unsubscribe (priv->system_bus, priv->sleep_signal_id);
+    {
+      g_dbus_connection_signal_unsubscribe (priv->system_bus, priv->sleep_signal_id);
+      priv->sleep_signal_id = 0;
+    }
+
   if (priv->upower_watch_id)
-    g_bus_unwatch_name (priv->upower_watch_id);
+    {
+      g_bus_unwatch_name (priv->upower_watch_id);
+      priv->upower_watch_id = 0;
+    }
+
   g_cancellable_cancel (priv->cancellable);
   g_clear_object (&priv->cancellable);
   g_clear_object (&priv->system_bus);
@@ -223,7 +235,7 @@ meta_backend_finalize (GObject *object)
 
   g_clear_handle_id (&priv->device_update_idle_id, g_source_remove);
 
-  g_hash_table_destroy (priv->device_monitors);
+  g_clear_pointer (&priv->device_monitors, g_hash_table_destroy);
 
   g_clear_object (&priv->settings);
 
@@ -233,7 +245,7 @@ meta_backend_finalize (GObject *object)
 
   g_clear_object (&priv->clutter_backend);
 
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -805,7 +817,7 @@ meta_backend_class_init (MetaBackendClass *klass)
   const gchar *mutter_stage_views;
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  object_class->finalize = meta_backend_finalize;
+  object_class->dispose = meta_backend_dispose;
   object_class->constructed = meta_backend_constructed;
 
   klass->post_init = meta_backend_real_post_init;
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
index fee6f7601..473508305 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
@@ -89,18 +89,21 @@ static void
 disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (MetaBackendNative *native);
 
 static void
-meta_backend_native_finalize (GObject *object)
+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);
+    {
+      disconnect_udev_device_added_handler (native);
+      native->udev_device_added_handler_id = 0;
+    }
 
   g_clear_object (&native->kms);
   g_clear_object (&native->udev);
-  meta_launcher_free (native->launcher);
+  g_clear_pointer (&native->launcher, meta_launcher_free);
 
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_native_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_native_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
 
 static ClutterBackend *
@@ -521,7 +524,7 @@ meta_backend_native_class_init (MetaBackendNativeClass *klass)
   MetaBackendClass *backend_class = META_BACKEND_CLASS (klass);
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  object_class->finalize = meta_backend_native_finalize;
+  object_class->dispose = meta_backend_native_dispose;
 
   backend_class->create_clutter_backend = meta_backend_native_create_clutter_backend;
 
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index f79b0d6d4..722d7b3d9 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ initable_iface_init (GInitableIface *initable_iface)
 }
 
 static void
-meta_backend_x11_finalize (GObject *object)
+meta_backend_x11_dispose (GObject *object)
 {
   MetaBackend *backend = META_BACKEND (object);
   MetaBackendX11 *x11 = META_BACKEND_X11 (object);
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ meta_backend_x11_finalize (GObject *object)
       priv->user_active_alarm = None;
     }
 
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ meta_backend_x11_class_init (MetaBackendX11Class *klass)
   MetaBackendClass *backend_class = META_BACKEND_CLASS (klass);
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  object_class->finalize = meta_backend_x11_finalize;
+  object_class->dispose = meta_backend_x11_dispose;
   backend_class->create_clutter_backend = meta_backend_x11_create_clutter_backend;
   backend_class->post_init = meta_backend_x11_post_init;
   backend_class->grab_device = meta_backend_x11_grab_device;