diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.h b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.h
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.h
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
         return m_device ? m_device->supportedParameters() : QStringList();
     }
     const QString &errorString() const { return m_errorString; }
+    bool hasTouchpad() const { return m_device; }
 
     void setTouchpadOff(TouchpadOffState) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
     TouchpadOffState getTouchpadOff() Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/kcm/touchpadconfig.cpp b/kcms/touchpad/src/kcm/touchpadconfig.cpp
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/kcm/touchpadconfig.cpp
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/kcm/touchpadconfig.cpp
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@
 
 void TouchpadConfig::checkChanges()
 {
+    if (!m_backend->hasTouchpad()) {
+        return;
+    }
     unmanagedWidgetChangeState(m_manager->hasChangedFuzzy()
                                || m_configOutOfSync);
     if (m_configOutOfSync) {
diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/touchpadbackend.h b/kcms/touchpad/src/touchpadbackend.h
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/touchpadbackend.h
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/touchpadbackend.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     virtual bool getConfig(QVariantHash &) = 0;
     virtual QStringList supportedParameters() const = 0;
     virtual const QString &errorString() const = 0;
+    virtual bool hasTouchpad() const = 0;
 
     enum TouchpadOffState {
         TouchpadEnabled, TouchpadTapAndScrollDisabled, TouchpadFullyDisabled