diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.cpp b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.cpp
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.cpp
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibbackend.cpp
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@
 void XlibBackend::watchForEvents(bool keyboard)
 {
     if (!m_notifications) {
-        m_notifications.reset(new XlibNotifications(m_display.data(), m_device ? m_device->deviceId() : XIAllDevices));
+        m_notifications.reset(new XlibNotifications(m_device ? m_device->deviceId() : XIAllDevices));
         connect(m_notifications.data(), SIGNAL(devicePlugged(int)),
                 SLOT(devicePlugged(int)));
         connect(m_notifications.data(), SIGNAL(touchpadDetached()),
diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.h b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.h
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.h
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    XlibNotifications(Display *display, int device);
+    XlibNotifications(int device);
     ~XlibNotifications();
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
diff --git a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.cpp b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.cpp
--- a/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.cpp
+++ b/kcms/touchpad/src/backends/x11/xlibnotifications.cpp
@@ -26,10 +26,17 @@
 #include <X11/extensions/XI2proto.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/XInput2.h>
 
-XlibNotifications::XlibNotifications(Display *display, int device)
-    : m_display(display), m_device(device)
+XlibNotifications::XlibNotifications(int device)
+    : m_display(XOpenDisplay(0)), m_device(device)
 {
-    m_connection = XGetXCBConnection(display);
+    if (!m_display) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    m_connection = XGetXCBConnection(m_display);
+    if (!m_connection) {
+        return;
+    }
 
     m_notifier = new QSocketNotifier(xcb_get_file_descriptor(m_connection),
                                      QSocketNotifier::Read, this);
@@ -66,9 +73,9 @@
     masks[1].mask_len = sizeof(allMask);
     XISetMask(allMask, XI_HierarchyChanged);
 
-    XISelectEvents(display, XDefaultRootWindow(display), masks,
+    XISelectEvents(m_display, XDefaultRootWindow(m_display), masks,
                    sizeof(masks) / sizeof(XIEventMask));
-    XFlush(display);
+    XFlush(m_display);
 
     connect(m_notifier, SIGNAL(activated(int)), SLOT(processEvents()));
     m_notifier->setEnabled(true);
@@ -149,8 +156,14 @@
 
 XlibNotifications::~XlibNotifications()
 {
-    xcb_destroy_window(m_connection, m_inputWindow);
-    xcb_flush(m_connection);
+    if (m_connection) {
+        xcb_destroy_window(m_connection, m_inputWindow);
+        xcb_flush(m_connection);
+    }
+
+    if (m_display) {
+        XCloseDisplay(m_display);
+    }
 }
 
 #include "moc_xlibnotifications.cpp"