diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11pen.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11pen.c
index 95629da553..c29c629c4a 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11pen.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11pen.c
@@ -283,22 +283,22 @@ static X11_PenHandle *X11_MaybeAddPen(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, const XIDeviceInfo
 
 X11_PenHandle *X11_MaybeAddPenByDeviceID(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, int deviceid)
 {
-    if (!X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) return NULL;
-    SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
-    int num_device_info = 0;
-    XIDeviceInfo *device_info = X11_XIQueryDevice(data->display, deviceid, &num_device_info);
-    if (device_info) {
-        SDL_assert(num_device_info == 1);
-        X11_PenHandle *handle = X11_MaybeAddPen(_this, device_info);
-        X11_XIFreeDeviceInfo(device_info);
-        return handle;
+    if (X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) {
+        SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
+        int num_device_info = 0;
+        XIDeviceInfo *device_info = X11_XIQueryDevice(data->display, deviceid, &num_device_info);
+        if (device_info) {
+            SDL_assert(num_device_info == 1);
+            X11_PenHandle *handle = X11_MaybeAddPen(_this, device_info);
+            X11_XIFreeDeviceInfo(device_info);
+            return handle;
+        }
     }
     return NULL;
 }
 
 void X11_RemovePenByDeviceID(int deviceid)
 {
-    if (!X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) return;
     X11_PenHandle *handle = X11_FindPenByDeviceID(deviceid);
     if (handle) {
         SDL_RemovePenDevice(0, handle->pen);
@@ -308,7 +308,10 @@ void X11_RemovePenByDeviceID(int deviceid)
 
 void X11_InitPen(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
 {
-    if (!X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) return;
+    if (!X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) {
+        return;  // we need XIQueryDevice() for this.
+    }
+
     SDL_VideoData *data = _this->internal;
 
     #define LOOKUP_PEN_ATOM(X) X11_XInternAtom(data->display, X, False)
@@ -338,7 +341,6 @@ static void X11_FreePenHandle(SDL_PenID instance_id, void *handle, void *userdat
 
 void X11_QuitPen(SDL_VideoDevice *_this)
 {
-    if (!X11_Xinput2IsInitialized()) return;
     SDL_RemoveAllPenDevices(X11_FreePenHandle, NULL);
 }