diff --git a/hw/xfree86/modes/xf86Rotate.c b/hw/xfree86/modes/xf86Rotate.c
index 54cbf2ef99149cc8c95b538017d388145d80edae..9c00a443fcdfc7b14c7007fb782032de5b032f52 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/modes/xf86Rotate.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/modes/xf86Rotate.c
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ xf86RotateCloseScreen(ScreenPtr screen)
     xf86CrtcConfigPtr xf86_config = XF86_CRTC_CONFIG_PTR(scrn);
     int c;
 
+    /* This has already been destroyed when the root window was destroyed */
+    xf86_config->rotation_damage = NULL;
     for (c = 0; c < xf86_config->num_crtc; c++)
         xf86RotateDestroy(xf86_config->crtc[c]);
 }