diff --git a/hw/xnest/Pointer.c b/hw/xnest/Pointer.c
index 0ccdd58fc..315e415f4 100644
--- a/hw/xnest/Pointer.c
+++ b/hw/xnest/Pointer.c
@@ -74,10 +74,11 @@ xnestPointerProc(DeviceIntPtr pDev, int onoff)
         axes_labels[0] = XIGetKnownProperty(AXIS_LABEL_PROP_REL_X);
         axes_labels[1] = XIGetKnownProperty(AXIS_LABEL_PROP_REL_Y);
 
-        XGetPointerControl(xnestDisplay,
-                           &defaultPointerControl.num,
-                           &defaultPointerControl.den,
-                           &defaultPointerControl.threshold);
+        xnest_get_pointer_control(xnestUpstreamInfo.conn,
+                                  &defaultPointerControl.num,
+                                  &defaultPointerControl.den,
+                                  &defaultPointerControl.threshold);
+
         InitPointerDeviceStruct(&pDev->public, map, nmap, btn_labels,
                                 xnestChangePointerControl,
                                 GetMotionHistorySize(), 2, axes_labels);
diff --git a/hw/xnest/xcb.c b/hw/xnest/xcb.c
index f02f1a17d..39d868dd6 100644
--- a/hw/xnest/xcb.c
+++ b/hw/xnest/xcb.c
@@ -264,3 +264,31 @@ xcb_get_keyboard_mapping_reply_t *xnest_get_keyboard_mapping(
 
     return reply;
 }
+
+void xnest_get_pointer_control(
+    xcb_connection_t *conn,
+    int *acc_num,
+    int *acc_den,
+    int *threshold)
+{
+    xcb_generic_error_t *err = NULL;
+    xcb_get_pointer_control_reply_t *reply = xcb_get_pointer_control_reply(
+        xnestUpstreamInfo.conn,
+        xcb_get_pointer_control(xnestUpstreamInfo.conn),
+        &err);
+
+    if (err) {
+        ErrorF("error retrieving pointer control data: %d\n", err->error_code);
+        free(err);
+    }
+
+    if (!reply) {
+        ErrorF("error retrieving pointer control data: no reply\n");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    *acc_num = reply->acceleration_numerator;
+    *acc_den = reply->acceleration_denominator;
+    *threshold = reply->threshold;
+    free(reply);
+}
diff --git a/hw/xnest/xnest-xcb.h b/hw/xnest/xnest-xcb.h
index bf2c80203..410145a18 100644
--- a/hw/xnest/xnest-xcb.h
+++ b/hw/xnest/xnest-xcb.h
@@ -41,4 +41,6 @@ xcb_get_keyboard_mapping_reply_t *xnest_get_keyboard_mapping(xcb_connection_t *c
                                                              int min_keycode,
                                                              int count);
 
+void xnest_get_pointer_control(xcb_connection_t *conn, int *acc_num, int *acc_den, int *threshold);
+
 #endif /* __XNEST__XCB_H */