diff --git a/scene_opengl_egl.cpp b/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
index 33e8960413..06d196a480 100644
--- a/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
@@ -200,14 +200,13 @@ int SceneOpenGL::paint(QRegion damage, ToplevelList toplevels)
         stacking_order.append(windows[ c ]);
     }
 
-    grabXServer();
     XSync(display(), false);
     int mask = 0;
     paintScreen(&mask, &damage);   // call generic implementation
     m_lastMask = mask;
     m_lastDamage = damage;
     glFlush();
-    ungrabXServer();
+
     if (m_overlayWindow->window())  // show the window only after the first pass, since
         m_overlayWindow->show();   // that pass may take long
 
diff --git a/scene_opengl_glx.cpp b/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
index e0654b5861..e52d92881a 100644
--- a/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
@@ -468,7 +468,6 @@ int SceneOpenGL::paint(QRegion damage, ToplevelList toplevels)
         stacking_order.append(windows[ c ]);
     }
 
-    grabXServer();
     glXWaitX();
     if (m_resetModelViewProjectionMatrix) {
         // reset model view projection matrix if required
@@ -487,7 +486,6 @@ int SceneOpenGL::paint(QRegion damage, ToplevelList toplevels)
 
     glFlush();
 
-    ungrabXServer();
     if (m_overlayWindow->window())  // show the window only after the first pass,
         m_overlayWindow->show();   // since that pass may take long