diff --git a/hw/xfree86/compat/clientexception.c b/hw/xfree86/compat/clientexception.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6005f22c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hw/xfree86/compat/clientexception.c
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include <dix-config.h>
+
+#include <X11/Xfuncproto.h>
+
+#include "dix/dix_priv.h"
+
+/*
+ * this is specifically for NVidia proprietary driver: they're again lagging
+ * behind a year, doing at least some minimal cleanup of their code base.
+ * All attempts to get in direct contact with them have failed.
+ */
+_X_EXPORT void MarkClientException(ClientPtr pClient);
+
+void MarkClientException(ClientPtr pClient)
+{
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "Bogus driver calling DIX-internal function MarkClientException() !\n");
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "External drivers really should never ever call this function.\n");
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "Nor should they ever DIX-internal fields like ClientRec->noClientException\n");
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "File a bug report to driver vendor or use a FOSS driver.\n");
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "Proprietary drivers are inherently unstable, they just can't be done right.\n");
+    LogMessageVerb(X_WARNING, 0, "And just don't buy Nvidia hardware, ever.\n");
+
+    dixMarkClientException(pClient);
+}
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/compat/meson.build b/hw/xfree86/compat/meson.build
index dcdbf1c21..fab631ca2 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/compat/meson.build
+++ b/hw/xfree86/compat/meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 srcs_xorg_compat = [
+    'clientexception.c',
     'log.c',
 ]
 
 xorg_compat = static_library('xorg_compat',
     srcs_xorg_compat,
+    dependencies: common_dep,
     include_directories: [inc, xorg_inc, top_dir_inc],
 )