diff --git a/dix/devices.c b/dix/devices.c
index 6acff4f71..a280dee28 100644
--- a/dix/devices.c
+++ b/dix/devices.c
@@ -918,12 +918,7 @@ CloseDevice(DeviceIntPtr dev)
         free(classes);
     }
 
-    if (DevHasCursor(dev) && dev->spriteInfo->sprite) {
-        if (dev->spriteInfo->sprite->current)
-            FreeCursor(dev->spriteInfo->sprite->current, None);
-        free(dev->spriteInfo->sprite->spriteTrace);
-        free(dev->spriteInfo->sprite);
-    }
+    FreeSprite(dev);
 
     /* a client may have the device set as client pointer */
     for (j = 0; j < currentMaxClients; j++) {
diff --git a/dix/events.c b/dix/events.c
index 83ae5c965..49894fa26 100644
--- a/dix/events.c
+++ b/dix/events.c
@@ -3192,6 +3192,18 @@ InitializeSprite(DeviceIntPtr pDev, WindowPtr pWin)
 #endif
 }
 
+void FreeSprite(DeviceIntPtr dev)
+{
+    if (DevHasCursor(dev) && dev->spriteInfo->sprite) {
+        if (dev->spriteInfo->sprite->current)
+            FreeCursor(dev->spriteInfo->sprite->current, None);
+        free(dev->spriteInfo->sprite->spriteTrace);
+        free(dev->spriteInfo->sprite);
+    }
+    dev->spriteInfo->sprite = NULL;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * Update the mouse sprite info when the server switches from a pScreen to another.
  * Otherwise, the pScreen of the mouse sprite is never updated when we switch
diff --git a/include/dix.h b/include/dix.h
index 5dc2ac568..3d8b0e575 100644
--- a/include/dix.h
+++ b/include/dix.h
@@ -395,6 +395,8 @@ DeliverTouchEvents(DeviceIntPtr /* dev */ ,
 extern void
 InitializeSprite(DeviceIntPtr /* pDev */ ,
                  WindowPtr /* pWin */ );
+extern void
+FreeSprite(DeviceIntPtr pDev);
 
 extern void
 UpdateSpriteForScreen(DeviceIntPtr /* pDev */ ,