diff --git a/dix/globals.c b/dix/globals.c
index d3dd33119..a9134c39a 100644
--- a/dix/globals.c
+++ b/dix/globals.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ PtrCtrl defaultPointerControl = {
 	DEFAULT_PTR_THRESHOLD,
 	0};
 
-_X_EXPORT ClientPtr *clients;
+_X_EXPORT ClientPtr  clients[MAXCLIENTS];
 _X_EXPORT ClientPtr  serverClient;
 _X_EXPORT int  currentMaxClients;   /* current size of clients array */
 _X_EXPORT long maxBigRequestSize = MAX_BIG_REQUEST_SIZE;
diff --git a/dix/main.c b/dix/main.c
index c34bc8a3c..35e59bd46 100644
--- a/dix/main.c
+++ b/dix/main.c
@@ -284,10 +284,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 	{
 	    CreateWellKnownSockets();
 	    InitProcVectors();
-	    clients = (ClientPtr *)xalloc(MAXCLIENTS * sizeof(ClientPtr));
-	    if (!clients)
-		FatalError("couldn't create client array");
-	    for (i=1; i<MAXCLIENTS; i++) 
+	    for (i=1; i<MAXCLIENTS; i++)
 		clients[i] = NullClient;
 	    serverClient = (ClientPtr)xalloc(sizeof(ClientRec));
 	    if (!serverClient)
diff --git a/include/dix.h b/include/dix.h
index 4b8a96e57..64e3d7874 100644
--- a/include/dix.h
+++ b/include/dix.h
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ typedef struct _Client *ClientPtr; /* also in misc.h */
 
 typedef struct _WorkQueue	*WorkQueuePtr;
 
-extern ClientPtr *clients;
+extern ClientPtr clients[MAXCLIENTS];
 extern ClientPtr serverClient;
 extern int currentMaxClients;
 extern char dispatchExceptionAtReset;