diff --git a/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c b/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
index 0a8c5c0100..91b56d3343 100644
--- a/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
+++ b/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
@@ -795,6 +795,7 @@ void DarwinKeyboardInit(DeviceIntPtr pDev) {
     assert( InitKeyboardDeviceStruct( (DevicePtr)pDev, &keySyms,
                                       keyInfo.modMap, QuartzBell,
                                       DarwinChangeKeyboardControl ));
+    SwitchCoreKeyboard(pDev);
 }