diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkglcontext-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkglcontext-x11.c
index f0393d4802..9fdbca9c89 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkglcontext-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkglcontext-x11.c
@@ -582,6 +582,23 @@ create_legacy_context (GdkDisplay   *display,
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_XDAMAGE
+static void
+finish_frame (GdkGLContext *context)
+{
+  GdkX11GLContext *context_x11 = GDK_X11_GL_CONTEXT (context);
+  GdkSurface *surface = gdk_gl_context_get_surface (context);
+
+  if (context_x11->xdamage == 0)
+    return;
+
+  if (context_x11->frame_fence == 0)
+    return;
+
+  glDeleteSync (context_x11->frame_fence);
+  context_x11->frame_fence = 0;
+  _gdk_x11_surface_set_frame_still_painting (surface, FALSE);
+}
+
 static void
 bind_context_for_frame_fence (GdkGLContext *context)
 {
@@ -628,7 +645,6 @@ on_gl_surface_xevent (GdkGLContext   *context,
                       GdkX11Display  *display_x11)
 {
   GdkX11GLContext *context_x11 = GDK_X11_GL_CONTEXT (context);
-  GdkSurface *surface = gdk_gl_context_get_surface (context);
   XDamageNotifyEvent *damage_xevent;
 
   if (!context_x11->is_attached)
@@ -675,9 +691,7 @@ on_gl_surface_xevent (GdkGLContext   *context,
           case GL_WAIT_FAILED:
             if (wait_result == GL_WAIT_FAILED)
               g_warning ("failed to wait on GL fence associated with last swap buffers call");
-            glDeleteSync (context_x11->frame_fence);
-            context_x11->frame_fence = 0;
-            _gdk_x11_surface_set_frame_still_painting (surface, FALSE);
+            finish_frame (context);
             break;
 
           /* We assume that if the fence hasn't been signaled, that this
@@ -696,6 +710,21 @@ on_gl_surface_xevent (GdkGLContext   *context,
 
   return FALSE;
 }
+
+static void
+on_surface_state_changed (GdkGLContext *context)
+{
+  GdkSurface *surface = gdk_gl_context_get_surface (context);
+
+  if ((surface->state & GDK_SURFACE_STATE_WITHDRAWN) == 0)
+    return;
+
+  /* If we're about to withdraw the surface, then we don't care if the frame is
+   * still getting rendered by the GPU. The compositor is going to remove the surface
+   * from the scene anyway, so wrap up the frame.
+   */
+  finish_frame (context);
+}
 #endif
 
 static gboolean
@@ -878,13 +907,23 @@ gdk_x11_gl_context_realize (GdkGLContext  *context,
                                             gdk_x11_surface_get_xid (surface),
                                             XDamageReportRawRectangles);
       if (gdk_x11_display_error_trap_pop (display))
-        context_x11->xdamage = 0;
+        {
+          context_x11->xdamage = 0;
+        }
       else
-        g_signal_connect_object (G_OBJECT (display),
-                                 "xevent",
-                                 G_CALLBACK (on_gl_surface_xevent),
-                                 context,
-                                 G_CONNECT_SWAPPED);
+        {
+          g_signal_connect_object (G_OBJECT (display),
+                                   "xevent",
+                                   G_CALLBACK (on_gl_surface_xevent),
+                                   context,
+                                   G_CONNECT_SWAPPED);
+          g_signal_connect_object (G_OBJECT (surface),
+                                   "notify::state",
+                                   G_CALLBACK (on_surface_state_changed),
+                                   context,
+                                   G_CONNECT_SWAPPED);
+
+        }
     }
 #endif