diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
index 3d5de3b8df..c8f04a6fa9 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
@@ -820,16 +820,18 @@ create_focus_window (GdkDisplay *display,
   GdkEventMask event_mask;
   Display *xdisplay;
   Window focus_window;
+  XWindowAttributes xwa;
 
   xdisplay = GDK_DISPLAY_XDISPLAY (display);
   display_x11 = GDK_X11_DISPLAY (display);
 
-  focus_window = XCreateSimpleWindow (xdisplay, parent,
-                                      -1, -1, 1, 1, 0,
-                                      0, 0);
+  focus_window = XCreateWindow (xdisplay, parent,
+                                -1, -1, 1, 1, 0,
+                                0, /* depth */
+                                InputOnly,
+                                CopyFromParent,
+                                0, &xwa);
 
-  /* FIXME: probably better to actually track the requested event mask for the toplevel
-   */
   event_mask = (GDK_KEY_PRESS_MASK |
                 GDK_KEY_RELEASE_MASK |
                 GDK_FOCUS_CHANGE_MASK);