diff --git a/inputremapper/injection/injector.py b/inputremapper/injection/injector.py
index 510036b10..458bf2f53 100644
--- a/inputremapper/injection/injector.py
+++ b/inputremapper/injection/injector.py
@@ -80,6 +80,18 @@ def get_udev_name(name: str, suffix: str) -> str:
     return name
 
 
+def create_uinput(*args, **kwargs):
+    """Safely create an UInput, compatible with various versions of evdev."""
+    try:
+        return evdev.UInput(*args, **kwargs)
+    except TypeError as e:
+        if "input_props" in str(e):
+            del kwargs["input_props"]
+            return evdev.UInput(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        raise e
+
+
 class Injector(multiprocessing.Process):
     """Initializes, starts and stops injections.
 
@@ -328,7 +340,7 @@ def run(self) -> None:
             # copy as much information as possible, because libinput uses the extra
             # information to enable certain features like "Disable touchpad while
             # typing"
-            forward_to = evdev.UInput(
+            forward_to = create_uinput(
                 name=get_udev_name(source.name, "forwarded"),
                 events=self._copy_capabilities(source),
                 # phys=source.phys,  # this leads to confusion. the appearance of an uinput with this "phys" property
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_injector.py b/tests/unit/test_injector.py
index 1f960cbed..93098cabd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_injector.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_injector.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
     NO_GRAB,
     UNKNOWN,
     get_udev_name,
+    create_uinput,
 )
 from inputremapper.injection.numlock import is_numlock_on
 from inputremapper.configs.system_mapping import (
@@ -128,6 +129,27 @@ def find_joystick_to_mouse(self):
             if isinstance(consumer, JoystickToMouse)
         ][0]
 
+    def test_create_uinput(self):
+        # can create an uinput with an input_props argument,
+        # which is ignored if it fails
+        def patch(
+            events=None,
+            name="py-evdev-uinput",
+            vendor=0x1,
+            product=0x1,
+            version=0x1,
+            bustype=0x3,
+            devnode="/dev/uinput",
+            phys="py-evdev-uinput",
+        ):
+            # act like some outdated python-evdev version or something that doesn't
+            # support input_props
+            pass
+
+        with mock.patch.object(evdev, "UInput", patch):
+            # should not raise an error
+            create_uinput(input_props=[])
+
     def test_grab(self):
         # path is from the fixtures
         path = "/dev/input/event10"