diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.c b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
index da50f994d4..43174e98e6 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
@@ -1815,11 +1815,15 @@ _gdk_event_filter_unref (GdkWindow       *window,
   else
     filters = &window->filters;
 
-  for (tmp_list = *filters; tmp_list; tmp_list = tmp_list->next)
+  tmp_list = *filters;
+  while (tmp_list)
     {
       GdkEventFilter *iter_filter = tmp_list->data;
       GList *node;
 
+      node = tmp_list;
+      tmp_list = tmp_list->next;
+
       if (iter_filter != filter)
 	continue;
 
@@ -1829,9 +1833,6 @@ _gdk_event_filter_unref (GdkWindow       *window,
       if (filter->ref_count != 0)
 	continue;
 
-      node = tmp_list;
-      tmp_list = tmp_list->next;
-
       *filters = g_list_remove_link (*filters, node);
       g_free (filter);
       g_list_free_1 (node);