diff --git a/src/core/effects.c b/src/core/effects.c

index 469184e..163ec05 100644

--- a/src/core/effects.c

+++ b/src/core/effects.c

@@ -316,23 +316,6 @@ update_wireframe_window (MetaDisplay         *display,

 }

 #endif

-/**

- * A hack to force the X server to synchronize with the

- * graphics hardware.

- */

-static void

-graphics_sync (BoxAnimationContext *context)

-{

-  XImage *image;

-

-  image = XGetImage (context->screen->display->xdisplay,

-                     context->screen->xroot,

-                     0, 0, 1, 1,

-                     AllPlanes, ZPixmap);

-

-  XDestroyImage (image);

-}

-

 static gboolean

 effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)

 {

@@ -383,8 +366,6 @@ effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)

                  context->gc);

 #endif /* !HAVE_SHAPE */

-      graphics_sync (context);

-

       context->finished(context->finished_data);

       g_free (context);

@@ -425,7 +406,7 @@ effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)

 #endif /* !HAVE_SHAPE */

   /* kick changes onto the server */

-  graphics_sync (context);

+  XFlush (context->screen->display->xdisplay);

   return TRUE;

 }