diff --git a/hw/xwayland/xwayland-present.c b/hw/xwayland/xwayland-present.c
index 492e4a876..2cec63f59 100644
--- a/hw/xwayland/xwayland-present.c
+++ b/hw/xwayland/xwayland-present.c
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ xwl_present_reset_timer(struct xwl_present_window *xwl_present_window)
 static void
 xwl_present_free_event(struct xwl_present_event *event)
 {
+    if (!event)
+        return;
+
+    if (event->buffer)
+        wl_buffer_set_user_data(event->buffer, NULL);
+
     xorg_list_del(&event->list);
     free(event);
 }
@@ -138,21 +144,10 @@ xwl_present_cleanup(WindowPtr window)
     xorg_list_for_each_entry_safe(event, tmp, &xwl_present_window->event_list, list)
         xwl_present_free_event(event);
 
-    /* Clear remaining buffer releases and inform Present about free ressources */
-    event = xwl_present_window->sync_flip;
-    xwl_present_window->sync_flip = NULL;
-    if (event) {
-        if (event->buffer_released) {
-            xwl_present_free_event(event);
-        } else {
-            event->pending = FALSE;
-            event->abort = TRUE;
-        }
-    }
-    xorg_list_for_each_entry_safe(event, tmp, &xwl_present_window->release_queue, list) {
-        xorg_list_del(&event->list);
-        event->abort = TRUE;
-    }
+    xwl_present_free_event(xwl_present_window->sync_flip);
+
+    xorg_list_for_each_entry_safe(event, tmp, &xwl_present_window->release_queue, list)
+        xwl_present_free_event(event);
 
     /* Clear timer */
     xwl_present_free_timer(xwl_present_window);
@@ -353,6 +348,7 @@ xwl_present_queue_vblank(WindowPtr present_window,
         return BadAlloc;
 
     event->event_id = event_id;
+    event->buffer = NULL;
     event->xwl_present_window = xwl_present_window;
     event->target_msc = msc;