diff --git a/gtk/gtkbutton.c b/gtk/gtkbutton.c
index c4038765a4..dc7955ff63 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbutton.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkbutton.c
@@ -282,9 +282,10 @@ gtk_button_class_init (GtkButtonClass *klass)
                   NULL, NULL,
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
-  widget_class->activate_signal = button_signals[ACTIVATE];
-  activate_action = gtk_signal_action_new ("activate");
 
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, button_signals[ACTIVATE]);
+
+  activate_action = gtk_signal_action_new ("activate");
   for (guint i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (activate_keyvals); i++)
     {
       GtkShortcut *activate_shortcut = gtk_shortcut_new (gtk_keyval_trigger_new (activate_keyvals[i], 0),
diff --git a/gtk/gtkexpander.c b/gtk/gtkexpander.c
index 9b60db04a4..647ee68428 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkexpander.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkexpander.c
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ gtk_expander_class_init (GtkExpanderClass *klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
   GtkWidgetClass *widget_class = GTK_WIDGET_CLASS (klass);
+  guint activate_signal;
 
   gobject_class->dispose = gtk_expander_dispose;
   gobject_class->set_property = gtk_expander_set_property;
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@ gtk_expander_class_init (GtkExpanderClass *klass)
                                                         GTK_TYPE_WIDGET,
                                                         GTK_PARAM_READWRITE));
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal =
+  activate_signal =
     g_signal_new (I_("activate"),
                   G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (gobject_class),
                   G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST | G_SIGNAL_ACTION,
@@ -377,6 +378,7 @@ gtk_expander_class_init (GtkExpanderClass *klass)
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, activate_signal);
   gtk_widget_class_set_css_name (widget_class, I_("expander-widget"));
   gtk_widget_class_set_accessible_role (widget_class, GTK_ACCESSIBLE_ROLE_BUTTON);
 }
diff --git a/gtk/gtkflowbox.c b/gtk/gtkflowbox.c
index 7342369b6a..c2d92943f5 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkflowbox.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkflowbox.c
@@ -547,11 +547,11 @@ gtk_flow_box_child_class_init (GtkFlowBoxChildClass *class)
                   NULL, NULL,
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
-  widget_class->activate_signal = child_signals[CHILD_ACTIVATE];
 
   gtk_widget_class_set_layout_manager_type (widget_class, GTK_TYPE_BIN_LAYOUT);
   gtk_widget_class_set_css_name (widget_class, I_("flowboxchild"));
   gtk_widget_class_set_accessible_role (widget_class, GTK_ACCESSIBLE_ROLE_GRID_CELL);
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, child_signals[CHILD_ACTIVATE]);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3837,7 +3837,7 @@ gtk_flow_box_class_init (GtkFlowBoxClass *class)
                                         NULL,
                                         G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal = signals[ACTIVATE_CURSOR_CHILD];
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, signals[ACTIVATE_CURSOR_CHILD]);
 
   gtk_flow_box_add_move_binding (widget_class, GDK_KEY_Home, 0,
                                  GTK_MOVEMENT_BUFFER_ENDS, -1);
diff --git a/gtk/gtklistbox.c b/gtk/gtklistbox.c
index 1c256c0537..72bc7c8539 100644
--- a/gtk/gtklistbox.c
+++ b/gtk/gtklistbox.c
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ gtk_list_box_class_init (GtkListBoxClass *klass)
                               G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass),
                               _gtk_marshal_VOID__ENUM_INT_BOOLEAN_BOOLEANv);
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal = signals[ACTIVATE_CURSOR_ROW];
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, signals[ACTIVATE_CURSOR_ROW]);
 
   gtk_list_box_add_move_binding (widget_class, GDK_KEY_Home, 0,
                                  GTK_MOVEMENT_BUFFER_ENDS, -1);
@@ -3466,7 +3466,7 @@ gtk_list_box_row_class_init (GtkListBoxRowClass *klass)
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal = row_signals[ROW__ACTIVATE];
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, row_signals[ROW__ACTIVATE]);
 
   /**
    * GtkListBoxRow:activatable:
diff --git a/gtk/gtklistitemwidget.c b/gtk/gtklistitemwidget.c
index ea601be4d5..abe6352688 100644
--- a/gtk/gtklistitemwidget.c
+++ b/gtk/gtklistitemwidget.c
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ gtk_list_item_widget_class_init (GtkListItemWidgetClass *klass)
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal = signals[ACTIVATE_SIGNAL];
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, signals[ACTIVATE_SIGNAL]);
 
   /**
    * GtkListItem|listitem.select:
diff --git a/gtk/gtkmodelbutton.c b/gtk/gtkmodelbutton.c
index da9a3f5b52..6c6be9a123 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkmodelbutton.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkmodelbutton.c
@@ -1295,8 +1295,7 @@ gtk_model_button_class_init (GtkModelButtonClass *class)
                                           NULL,
                                           G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal = signals[SIGNAL_CLICKED];
-
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, signals[SIGNAL_CLICKED]);
   gtk_widget_class_set_layout_manager_type (widget_class, GTK_TYPE_BOX_LAYOUT);
   gtk_widget_class_set_css_name (widget_class, I_("modelbutton"));
   gtk_widget_class_set_accessible_role (widget_class, GTK_ACCESSIBLE_ROLE_MENU_ITEM);
diff --git a/gtk/gtkpopovermenubar.c b/gtk/gtkpopovermenubar.c
index 447dc5fa65..455f21ef65 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkpopovermenubar.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkpopovermenubar.c
@@ -354,6 +354,7 @@ gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_class_init (GtkPopoverMenuBarItemClass *klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
   GtkWidgetClass *widget_class = GTK_WIDGET_CLASS (klass);
+  guint activate_signal;
 
   object_class->dispose = gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_dispose;
   object_class->finalize = gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_finalize;
@@ -364,7 +365,7 @@ gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_class_init (GtkPopoverMenuBarItemClass *klass)
 
   klass->activate = gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_activate;
 
-  widget_class->activate_signal =
+  activate_signal =
     g_signal_new (I_("activate"),
                   G_OBJECT_CLASS_TYPE (object_class),
                   G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
@@ -375,6 +376,7 @@ gtk_popover_menu_bar_item_class_init (GtkPopoverMenuBarItemClass *klass)
 
   gtk_widget_class_set_css_name (widget_class, I_("item"));
   gtk_widget_class_set_accessible_role (widget_class, GTK_ACCESSIBLE_ROLE_MENU_ITEM);
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, activate_signal);
 }
 enum
 {
diff --git a/gtk/gtkswitch.c b/gtk/gtkswitch.c
index bb681d9123..cff20c9aa8 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkswitch.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkswitch.c
@@ -570,7 +570,8 @@ gtk_switch_class_init (GtkSwitchClass *klass)
                   NULL, NULL,
                   NULL,
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
-  widget_class->activate_signal = signals[ACTIVATE];
+
+  gtk_widget_class_set_activate_signal (widget_class, signals[ACTIVATE]);
 
   /**
    * GtkSwitch::state-set: