diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer-private.h
index 3574fdc1b..8169129ef 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer-private.h
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ typedef struct _CoglXlibRenderer
   Display *xdpy;
 
   unsigned long outputs_update_serial;
-
-  XVisualInfo *xvisinfo;
 } CoglXlibRenderer;
 
 gboolean
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.c
index e2950d9b2..71cb43eba 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-xlib-renderer.c
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ static GList *_cogl_xlib_renderers = NULL;
 static void
 _xlib_renderer_data_free (CoglXlibRenderer *data)
 {
-  if (data->xvisinfo)
-    XFree (data->xvisinfo);
-
   g_free (data);
 }
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-x11.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-x11.c
index 7a52129c2..7393f79f6 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-x11.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-x11.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ _cogl_winsys_egl_context_created (CoglDisplay *display,
         }
     }
 
-  xlib_renderer->xvisinfo = xvisinfo;
+  g_clear_pointer (&xvisinfo, XFree);
 
   if (!_cogl_winsys_egl_make_current (display,
                                       egl_display->dummy_surface,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index 9cab939d3..ee1a7f734 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ create_context (CoglDisplay *display, GError **error)
                                        dummy_drawable,
                                        glx_display->glx_context);
 
-  xlib_renderer->xvisinfo = xvisinfo;
+  g_clear_pointer (&xvisinfo, XFree);
 
   if (mtk_x11_error_trap_pop_with_return (xlib_renderer->xdpy))
     {