diff --git a/hw/dmx/dmxscrinit.c b/hw/dmx/dmxscrinit.c
--- a/hw/dmx/dmxscrinit.c
+++ b/hw/dmx/dmxscrinit.c
@@ -67,15 +67,29 @@ static Bool dmxSaveScreen(ScreenPtr pScreen, int what);
 static unsigned long dmxGeneration;
 static unsigned long *dmxCursorGeneration;
 
-DevPrivateKey dmxGCPrivateKey = &dmxGCPrivateKey; /**< Private index for GCs       */
-DevPrivateKey dmxWinPrivateKey = &dmxWinPrivateKey; /**< Private index for Windows   */
-DevPrivateKey dmxPixPrivateKey = &dmxPixPrivateKey; /**< Private index for Pixmaps   */
+static int dmxGCPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxGCPrivateKey = &dmxGCPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for GCs       */
+
+static int dmxWinPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxWinPrivateKey = &dmxWinPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for Windows   */
+
+static int dmxPixPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxPixPrivateKey = &dmxPixPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for Pixmaps   */
+
 int dmxFontPrivateIndex;        /**< Private index for Fonts     */
-DevPrivateKey dmxScreenPrivateKey = &dmxScreenPrivateKey; /**< Private index for Screens   */
-DevPrivateKey dmxColormapPrivateKey = &dmxColormapPrivateKey; /**< Private index for Colormaps */
+
+static int dmxScreenPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxScreenPrivateKey = &dmxScreenPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for Screens   */
+
+static int dmxColormapPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxColormapPrivateKey = &dmxColormapPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for Colormaps */
 #ifdef RENDER
-DevPrivateKey dmxPictPrivateKey = &dmxPictPrivateKey; /**< Private index for Picts     */
-DevPrivateKey dmxGlyphSetPrivateKey = &dmxGlyphSetPrivateKey; /**< Private index for GlyphSets */
+
+static int dmxPictPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxPictPrivateKey = &dmxPictPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for Picts     */
+
+static int dmxGlyphSetPrivateKeyIndex;
+DevPrivateKey dmxGlyphSetPrivateKey = &dmxGlyphSetPrivateKeyIndex; /**< Private index for GlyphSets */
 #endif
 
 /** Initialize the parts of screen \a idx that require access to the
diff --git a/hw/dmx/dmxgc.c b/hw/dmx/dmxgc.c
--- a/hw/dmx/dmxgc.c
+++ b/hw/dmx/dmxgc.c
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ static GCOps dmxGCOps = {
 /** Initialize the GC on \a pScreen */
 Bool dmxInitGC(ScreenPtr pScreen)
 {
+    if (!dixRequestPrivate(dmxGCPrivateKey, sizeof(dmxGCPrivRec)))
+        return FALSE;
     return TRUE;
 }