diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.c b/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.c
index c739e73812..ce1c5bcced 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.c
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkdisplay-win32.c
@@ -380,38 +380,46 @@ inner_clipboard_window_procedure (HWND   hwnd,
     case WM_CLIPBOARDUPDATE:
     case WM_DRAWCLIPBOARD:
       {
-        int success;
-        HWND hwndOwner;
-#ifdef G_ENABLE_DEBUG
-        UINT nFormat = 0;
-#endif
+        HWND hwnd_owner;
+        HWND hwnd_opener;
         GdkEvent *event;
         GdkWindow *owner;
 
-        success = OpenClipboard (hwnd);
-        if (!success)
-          {
-            g_warning ("Failed to OpenClipboard on window handle %p", hwnd);
-            return 0;
-          }
+        hwnd_owner = GetClipboardOwner ();
 
-        hwndOwner = GetClipboardOwner ();
-        owner = gdk_win32_window_lookup_for_display (_gdk_display, hwndOwner);
-        if (owner == NULL)
-          owner = gdk_win32_window_foreign_new_for_display (_gdk_display, hwndOwner);
+        if ((hwnd_owner == NULL) &&
+            (GetLastError () != ERROR_SUCCESS))
+            WIN32_API_FAILED ("GetClipboardOwner");
 
-        GDK_NOTE (DND, g_print (" drawclipboard owner: %p", hwndOwner));
+        hwnd_opener = GetOpenClipboardWindow ();
+
+        GDK_NOTE (DND, g_print (" drawclipboard owner: %p; opener %p ", hwnd_owner, hwnd_opener));
 
 #ifdef G_ENABLE_DEBUG
         if (_gdk_debug_flags & GDK_DEBUG_DND)
           {
-            while ((nFormat = EnumClipboardFormats (nFormat)) != 0)
-              g_print ("%s ", _gdk_win32_cf_to_string (nFormat));
+            if (OpenClipboard (hwnd))
+              {
+                UINT nFormat = 0;
+
+                while ((nFormat = EnumClipboardFormats (nFormat)) != 0)
+                  g_print ("%s ", _gdk_win32_cf_to_string (nFormat));
+
+                CloseClipboard ();
+              }
+            else
+              {
+                WIN32_API_FAILED ("OpenClipboard");
+              }
           }
 #endif
 
         GDK_NOTE (DND, g_print (" \n"));
 
+        owner = gdk_win32_window_lookup_for_display (_gdk_display, hwnd_owner);
+        if (owner == NULL)
+          owner = gdk_win32_window_foreign_new_for_display (_gdk_display, hwnd_owner);
+
         event = gdk_event_new (GDK_OWNER_CHANGE);
         event->owner_change.window = gdk_get_default_root_window ();
         event->owner_change.owner = owner;
@@ -421,8 +429,6 @@ inner_clipboard_window_procedure (HWND   hwnd,
         event->owner_change.selection_time = GDK_CURRENT_TIME;
         _gdk_win32_append_event (event);
 
-        CloseClipboard ();
-
         if (_hwnd_next_viewer != NULL)
           return SendMessage (_hwnd_next_viewer, message, wparam, lparam);
 
diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkproperty-win32.c b/gdk/win32/gdkproperty-win32.c
index a3936998d5..65850c3054 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkproperty-win32.c
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkproperty-win32.c
@@ -194,12 +194,6 @@ _gdk_win32_window_change_property (GdkWindow    *window,
 
       if (type == _utf8_string)
 	{
-	  if (!OpenClipboard (GDK_WINDOW_HWND (window)))
-	    {
-	      WIN32_API_FAILED ("OpenClipboard");
-	      return;
-	    }
-
 	  wcptr = g_utf8_to_utf16 ((char *) data, nelements, NULL, &wclen, &err);
           if (err != NULL)
             {
@@ -208,6 +202,13 @@ _gdk_win32_window_change_property (GdkWindow    *window,
               return;
             }
 
+	  if (!OpenClipboard (GDK_WINDOW_HWND (window)))
+	    {
+	      WIN32_API_FAILED ("OpenClipboard");
+	      g_free (wcptr);
+	      return;
+	    }
+
 	  wclen++;		/* Terminating 0 */
 	  size = wclen * 2;
 	  for (i = 0; i < wclen; i++)
diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkselection-win32.c b/gdk/win32/gdkselection-win32.c
index 6d7b7c7ec9..131c0bf436 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkselection-win32.c
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkselection-win32.c
@@ -492,6 +492,8 @@ _gdk_win32_display_convert_selection (GdkDisplay *display,
             }
         }
 
+      API_CALL (CloseClipboard, ());
+
       GDK_NOTE (DND, {
 	  int i;
 
@@ -514,8 +516,6 @@ _gdk_win32_display_convert_selection (GdkDisplay *display,
 				  ntargets * sizeof (GdkAtom));
       else
 	property = GDK_NONE;
-
-      API_CALL (CloseClipboard, ());
     }
   else if (selection == GDK_SELECTION_CLIPBOARD && target == _utf8_string)
     {