diff --git a/modules/input/imwayland.c b/modules/input/imwayland.c
index 11d09d2007..1fe95f38a1 100644
--- a/modules/input/imwayland.c
+++ b/modules/input/imwayland.c
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ gtk_im_context_wayland_focus_out (GtkIMContext *context)
   commit_state (context_wayland);
 
   /* after disable, incoming state changes won't take effect anyway */
-  text_input_preedit (global, global->text_input, "", 0, 0);
+  text_input_preedit (global, global->text_input, NULL, 0, 0);
   text_input_preedit_apply (global);
 
   global->current = NULL;