diff --git a/src/Fl.cxx b/src/Fl.cxx
index 0d96142a5..1dc8a69b7 100644
--- a/src/Fl.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl.cxx
@@ -492,7 +492,6 @@ void fl_trigger_clipboard_notify(int source) {
 
 void (*Fl::idle)(); // see Fl::add_idle.cxx for the add/remove functions
 
-extern int fl_ready(); // in Fl_<platform>.cxx
 extern int fl_wait(double time); // in Fl_<platform>.cxx
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/Fl_cocoa.mm b/src/Fl_cocoa.mm
index 136752c4b..c317ef6fa 100644
--- a/src/Fl_cocoa.mm
+++ b/src/Fl_cocoa.mm
@@ -450,7 +450,8 @@ void Fl_Darwin_System_Driver::remove_fd(int n)
 /*
  * Check if there is actually a message pending
  */
-int fl_ready()
+int Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver::ready()
+
 {
   NSEvent *retval = [NSApp nextEventMatchingMask:NSAnyEventMask untilDate:[NSDate dateWithTimeIntervalSinceNow:0]
 				    inMode:NSDefaultRunLoopMode dequeue:NO];
diff --git a/src/Fl_win32.cxx b/src/Fl_win32.cxx
index bf1185f65..62ee46c2d 100644
--- a/src/Fl_win32.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_win32.cxx
@@ -477,8 +477,8 @@ int fl_wait(double time_to_wait) {
   return 1;
 }
 
-// fl_ready() is just like fl_wait(0.0) except no callbacks are done:
-int fl_ready() {
+// just like fl_wait(0.0) except no callbacks are done:
+int Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver::ready() {
   if (PeekMessage(&fl_msg, NULL, 0, 0, PM_NOREMOVE)) return 1;
   if (!nfds) return 0;
   timeval t;
diff --git a/src/Fl_x.cxx b/src/Fl_x.cxx
index a42385520..b2fadf936 100644
--- a/src/Fl_x.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_x.cxx
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ int fl_wait(double time_to_wait) {
   return n;
 }
 
-// fl_ready() is just like fl_wait(0.0) except no callbacks are done:
-int fl_ready() {
+// just like fl_wait(0.0) except no callbacks are done:
+int Fl_X11_Screen_Driver::poll_or_select() {
   if (XQLength(fl_display)) return 1;
   if (!nfds) return 0; // nothing to select or poll
 #  if USE_POLL
diff --git a/src/drivers/Cocoa/Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver.cxx b/src/drivers/Cocoa/Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver.cxx
index e54f45750..a3defafcc 100644
--- a/src/drivers/Cocoa/Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver.cxx
+++ b/src/drivers/Cocoa/Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver.cxx
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 extern "C" void NSBeep(void);
 
 extern double fl_mac_flush_and_wait(double time_to_wait);
-extern int fl_ready();
 
 int Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver::next_marked_length = 0;
 
@@ -152,12 +151,6 @@ double Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver::wait(double time_to_wait)
 }
 
 
-int Fl_Cocoa_Screen_Driver::ready()
-{
-  return fl_ready();
-}
-
-
 extern void fl_fix_focus(); // in Fl.cxx
 
 extern void *fl_capture;
diff --git a/src/drivers/WinAPI/Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver.cxx b/src/drivers/WinAPI/Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver.cxx
index 52e3f5287..f3e50664f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/WinAPI/Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver.cxx
+++ b/src/drivers/WinAPI/Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver.cxx
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 
 // Add these externs to allow Win32 port to build - suspect that Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.cxx also might need these
 // but I don't have a X11 box to hand for testing. These should be in an internal header somewhere?
-extern int fl_ready(); // in Fl_win32.cxx
 extern int fl_wait(double time); // in Fl_win32.cxx
 
 // these are set by Fl::args() and override any system colors: from Fl_get_system_colors.cxx
@@ -274,12 +273,6 @@ double Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver::wait(double time_to_wait)
 }
 
 
-int Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver::ready()
-{
-  return fl_ready();
-}
-
-
 extern void fl_fix_focus(); // in Fl.cxx
 
 // We have to keep track of whether we have captured the mouse, since
@@ -682,4 +675,4 @@ float Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver::desktop_scaling_factor() {
 
 //
 // End of "$Id$".
-//
\ No newline at end of file
+//
diff --git a/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.H b/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.H
index 2585cb972..234f429d7 100644
--- a/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.H
+++ b/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.H
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ protected:
   } FLScreenInfo;
   FLScreenInfo screens[MAX_SCREENS];
   float dpi[MAX_SCREENS][2];
+  int poll_or_select();
 
 public:
   static int ewmh_supported();
diff --git a/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.cxx b/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.cxx
index f9bae70f2..9cda68eb5 100644
--- a/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.cxx
+++ b/src/drivers/X11/Fl_X11_Screen_Driver.cxx
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ extern XIC fl_xim_ic; // in Fl_x.cxx
 // Add these externs to allow X11 port to build - same as Fl_WinAPI_Screen_Driver.cxx.
 // These should be in an internal header somewhere?
 // AlbrechtS (Comment by Ian, modified...)
-extern int fl_ready(); // in Fl_x.cxx
 extern int fl_wait(double time); // in Fl_x.cxx
 
 // these are set by Fl::args() and override any system colors: from Fl_get_system_colors.cxx
@@ -452,7 +451,6 @@ double Fl_X11_Screen_Driver::wait(double time_to_wait)
     reset_clock = 1; // we are not going to check the clock
   }
   Fl::run_checks();
-  //  if (idle && !fl_ready()) {
   if (Fl::idle) {
     if (!in_idle) {
       in_idle = 1;
@@ -487,7 +485,7 @@ int Fl_X11_Screen_Driver::ready()
   } else {
     reset_clock = 1;
   }
-  return fl_ready();
+  return this->poll_or_select();
 }