diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.c b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
index ba4ad63a3b..e9c5512a21 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
@@ -4751,17 +4751,21 @@ _gdk_window_process_updates_recurse (GdkWindow *window,
   GdkWindowObject *child;
   GdkRegion *child_region;
   GdkRectangle r;
-  GList *l;
+  GList *l, *children;
 
   if (gdk_region_empty (expose_region))
     return;
 
+  /* Make this reentrancy safe for expose handlers freeing windows */
+  children = g_list_copy (private->children);
+  g_list_foreach (children, g_object_ref, NULL);
+
   /* Iterate over children, starting at topmost */
-  for (l = private->children; l != NULL; l = l->next)
+  for (l = children; l != NULL; l = l->next)
     {
       child = l->data;
 
-      if (!GDK_WINDOW_IS_MAPPED (child) || child->input_only || child->composited)
+      if (child->destroyed || !GDK_WINDOW_IS_MAPPED (child) || child->input_only || child->composited)
 	continue;
 
       /* Ignore offscreen children, as they don't draw in their parent and
@@ -4799,6 +4803,9 @@ _gdk_window_process_updates_recurse (GdkWindow *window,
       gdk_region_destroy (child_region);
     }
 
+  g_list_foreach (children, g_object_unref, NULL);
+  g_list_free (children);
+
   if (!gdk_region_empty (expose_region))
     {
       if (private->event_mask & GDK_EXPOSURE_MASK)