diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
index e658780994..1477a75d8b 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkdisplay-x11.c
@@ -919,7 +919,10 @@ gdk_x11_display_translate_event (GdkEventTranslator *translator,
       event->selection.window = window;
       event->selection.selection = gdk_x11_xatom_to_atom_for_display (display, xevent->xselectionrequest.selection);
       event->selection.target = gdk_x11_xatom_to_atom_for_display (display, xevent->xselectionrequest.target);
-      event->selection.property = gdk_x11_xatom_to_atom_for_display (display, xevent->xselectionrequest.property);
+      if (xevent->xselectionrequest.property == None)
+        event->selection.property = event->selection.target;
+      else
+        event->selection.property = gdk_x11_xatom_to_atom_for_display (display, xevent->xselectionrequest.property);
       if (xevent->xselectionrequest.requestor != None)
         event->selection.requestor = gdk_x11_window_foreign_new_for_display (display,
                                                                              xevent->xselectionrequest.requestor);