diff --git a/dix/devices.c b/dix/devices.c
index 9b6faee23..c514d7756 100644
--- a/dix/devices.c
+++ b/dix/devices.c
@@ -281,7 +281,6 @@ AddInputDevice(ClientPtr client, DeviceProc deviceProc, Bool autoStart)
     dev->deviceGrab.grabTime = currentTime;
     dev->deviceGrab.ActivateGrab = ActivateKeyboardGrab;
     dev->deviceGrab.DeactivateGrab = DeactivateKeyboardGrab;
-    dev->deviceGrab.activeGrab = AllocGrab();
     dev->deviceGrab.sync.event = calloc(1, sizeof(DeviceEvent));
 
     XkbSetExtension(dev, ProcessKeyboardEvent);
@@ -977,7 +976,8 @@ CloseDevice(DeviceIntPtr dev)
         }
     }
 
-    FreeGrab(dev->deviceGrab.activeGrab);
+    if (dev->deviceGrab.grab)
+        FreeGrab(dev->deviceGrab.grab);
     free(dev->deviceGrab.sync.event);
     free(dev->config_info);     /* Allocated in xf86ActivateDevice. */
     free(dev->last.scroll);
diff --git a/dix/events.c b/dix/events.c
index da9bd3821..e2e94a5f6 100644
--- a/dix/events.c
+++ b/dix/events.c
@@ -1490,8 +1490,9 @@ ActivatePointerGrab(DeviceIntPtr mouse, GrabPtr grab,
         grabinfo->grabTime = time;
     if (grab->cursor)
         grab->cursor->refcnt++;
-    CopyGrab(grabinfo->activeGrab, grab);
-    grabinfo->grab = grabinfo->activeGrab;
+    BUG_WARN(grabinfo->grab != NULL);
+    grabinfo->grab = AllocGrab();
+    CopyGrab(grabinfo->grab, grab);
     grabinfo->fromPassiveGrab = isPassive;
     grabinfo->implicitGrab = autoGrab & ImplicitGrabMask;
     PostNewCursor(mouse);
@@ -1554,6 +1555,8 @@ DeactivatePointerGrab(DeviceIntPtr mouse)
         ReattachToOldMaster(mouse);
 
     ComputeFreezes();
+
+    FreeGrab(grab);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1591,8 +1594,9 @@ ActivateKeyboardGrab(DeviceIntPtr keybd, GrabPtr grab, TimeStamp time,
         grabinfo->grabTime = syncEvents.time;
     else
         grabinfo->grabTime = time;
-    CopyGrab(grabinfo->activeGrab, grab);
-    grabinfo->grab = grabinfo->activeGrab;
+    BUG_WARN(grabinfo->grab != NULL);
+    grabinfo->grab = AllocGrab();
+    CopyGrab(grabinfo->grab, grab);
     grabinfo->fromPassiveGrab = passive;
     grabinfo->implicitGrab = passive & ImplicitGrabMask;
     CheckGrabForSyncs(keybd, (Bool) grab->keyboardMode,
@@ -1638,6 +1642,8 @@ DeactivateKeyboardGrab(DeviceIntPtr keybd)
         ReattachToOldMaster(keybd);
 
     ComputeFreezes();
+
+    FreeGrab(grab);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/include/inputstr.h b/include/inputstr.h
index de96faeda..85be885a0 100644
--- a/include/inputstr.h
+++ b/include/inputstr.h
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ typedef struct _GrabInfoRec {
     TimeStamp grabTime;
     Bool fromPassiveGrab;       /* true if from passive grab */
     Bool implicitGrab;          /* implicit from ButtonPress */
-    GrabPtr activeGrab;
+    GrabPtr unused;             /* Kept for ABI stability, remove soon */
     GrabPtr grab;
     CARD8 activatingKey;
     void (*ActivateGrab) (DeviceIntPtr /*device */ ,