diff --git a/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c b/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
index 6f2758e53..ea2674005 100644
--- a/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
+++ b/hw/xquartz/darwinKeyboard.c
@@ -801,6 +801,7 @@ void DarwinKeyboardInit(DeviceIntPtr pDev) {
     assert( InitKeyboardDeviceStruct( (DevicePtr)pDev, &keySyms,
                                       keyInfo.modMap, QuartzBell,
                                       DarwinChangeKeyboardControl ));
+    SwitchCoreKeyboard(pDev);
 }