diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
index a7f57aa61d..a05bc511ce 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 #include "gdkx.h"
+#include "gdkasync.h"
 #include "gdkdisplay.h"
 #include "gdkdisplay-x11.h"
 #include "gdkscreen.h"
@@ -591,6 +592,25 @@ _gdk_x11_display_is_root_window (GdkDisplay *display,
   return FALSE;
 }
 
+struct XPointerUngrabInfo {
+  GdkDisplay *display;
+  guint32 time;
+};
+
+static void
+pointer_ungrab_callback (gpointer _data)
+{
+  struct XPointerUngrabInfo *data = _data;
+
+  _gdk_display_unset_has_pointer_grab (data->display,
+				       FALSE,
+				       FALSE,
+				       data->time);
+
+  g_free (data);
+}
+
+
 #define XSERVER_TIME_IS_LATER(time1, time2)                        \
   ( (( time1 > time2 ) && ( time1 - time2 < ((guint32)-1)/2 )) ||  \
     (( time1 < time2 ) && ( time2 - time1 > ((guint32)-1)/2 ))     \
@@ -625,10 +645,16 @@ gdk_display_pointer_ungrab (GdkDisplay *display,
       display->pointer_grab.time == GDK_CURRENT_TIME ||
       !XSERVER_TIME_IS_LATER (display->pointer_grab.time, time_))
     {
-      _gdk_display_unset_has_pointer_grab (display,
-					   FALSE,
-					   FALSE,
-					   time_);
+      struct XPointerUngrabInfo *data;
+
+      data = g_new (struct XPointerUngrabInfo, 1);
+
+      data->display = GDK_DISPLAY_OBJECT (display_x11);
+      data->time = time_;
+
+      _gdk_x11_roundtrip_async (data->display, 
+				pointer_ungrab_callback,
+				data);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkmain-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkmain-x11.c
index e17abc52f0..bfe2117054 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkmain-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkmain-x11.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include "gdk.h"
 
 #include "gdkx.h"
+#include "gdkasync.h"
 #include "gdkdisplay-x11.h"
 #include "gdkinternals.h"
 #include "gdkintl.h"
@@ -158,6 +159,33 @@ generate_grab_broken_event (GdkWindow *window,
     }
 }
 
+struct XPointerGrabInfo {
+  GdkDisplay *display;
+  GdkWindow *window;
+  GdkWindow *native_window;
+  gboolean owner_events;
+  gulong serial;
+  guint event_mask;
+  guint32 time;
+};
+
+static void
+has_pointer_grab_callback (gpointer _data)
+{
+  struct XPointerGrabInfo *data = _data;
+
+  _gdk_display_set_has_pointer_grab (data->display,
+				     data->window,
+				     data->native_window,
+				     data->owner_events,
+				     data->event_mask,
+				     data->serial,
+				     data->time,
+				     FALSE);
+
+  g_free (data);
+}
+
 /*
  *--------------------------------------------------------------
  * gdk_pointer_grab
@@ -276,14 +304,21 @@ gdk_pointer_grab (GdkWindow *	  window,
   
   if (return_val == GrabSuccess)
     {
-      _gdk_display_set_has_pointer_grab (GDK_DISPLAY_OBJECT (display_x11),
-					 window,
-					 native,
-					 owner_events,
-					 event_mask,
-					 serial,
-					 time,
-					 FALSE);
+      struct XPointerGrabInfo *data;
+
+      data = g_new (struct XPointerGrabInfo, 1);
+
+      data->display = GDK_DISPLAY_OBJECT (display_x11);
+      data->window = window;
+      data->native_window = native;
+      data->owner_events = owner_events;
+      data->event_mask = event_mask;
+      data->serial = serial;
+      data->time = time;
+
+      _gdk_x11_roundtrip_async (data->display, 
+				has_pointer_grab_callback,
+				data);
     }
 
   return gdk_x11_convert_grab_status (return_val);