diff --git a/clients/kde2/kde2.cpp b/clients/kde2/kde2.cpp
index 105a883463..975d6d0724 100644
--- a/clients/kde2/kde2.cpp
+++ b/clients/kde2/kde2.cpp
@@ -835,10 +835,6 @@ int KDE2Client::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const KCo
 		case LM_ButtonSpacing:
 			return 0;
 
-		case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-			if ( !isToolWindow() )
-				return borderWidth/2;
-			// fall through
 		default:
 			return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
 	}
diff --git a/clients/laptop/laptopclient.cpp b/clients/laptop/laptopclient.cpp
index d8e444d789..8cdd104c23 100644
--- a/clients/laptop/laptopclient.cpp
+++ b/clients/laptop/laptopclient.cpp
@@ -432,9 +432,6 @@ int LaptopClient::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const K
         case LM_ButtonSpacing:
             return 0;
 
-        case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-            return 0;
-
         default:
             return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
     }
diff --git a/clients/modernsystem/modernsys.cpp b/clients/modernsystem/modernsys.cpp
index e27f3680a6..7b3e3b0a19 100644
--- a/clients/modernsystem/modernsys.cpp
+++ b/clients/modernsystem/modernsys.cpp
@@ -522,9 +522,6 @@ int ModernSys::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const KCom
         case LM_ButtonSpacing:
             return 1;
 
-        case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-            return 3;
-
         default:
             return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
     }
diff --git a/clients/oxygen/oxygenclient.cpp b/clients/oxygen/oxygenclient.cpp
index 61d93ff34c..3c02c2af3b 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/oxygenclient.cpp
+++ b/clients/oxygen/oxygenclient.cpp
@@ -168,9 +168,6 @@ int OxygenClient::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const K
         case LM_ButtonMarginTop:
             return 0;
 
-        case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-            return 3;
-
         default:
             return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
     }
diff --git a/clients/plastik/plastikclient.cpp b/clients/plastik/plastikclient.cpp
index 50d82225ae..47299b85e8 100644
--- a/clients/plastik/plastikclient.cpp
+++ b/clients/plastik/plastikclient.cpp
@@ -135,9 +135,6 @@ int PlastikClient::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const
         case LM_ButtonMarginTop:
             return 0;
 
-        case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-            return 3;
-
         default:
             return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
     }
diff --git a/clients/quartz/quartz.cpp b/clients/quartz/quartz.cpp
index 5a734ec3a1..e03870cd8d 100644
--- a/clients/quartz/quartz.cpp
+++ b/clients/quartz/quartz.cpp
@@ -623,9 +623,6 @@ int QuartzClient::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const K
 		case LM_ButtonSpacing:
 			return 1;
 
-		case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-			return 3;
-
 		default:
 			return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
 	}
diff --git a/clients/redmond/redmond.cpp b/clients/redmond/redmond.cpp
index 3442004b6b..c0904dd17d 100644
--- a/clients/redmond/redmond.cpp
+++ b/clients/redmond/redmond.cpp
@@ -443,9 +443,6 @@ int RedmondDeco::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const KC
 		case LM_ButtonSpacing:
 			return 0;
 
-		case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-			return 2;
-
 		default:
 			return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
 	}
diff --git a/clients/web/Web.cpp b/clients/web/Web.cpp
index fec394c859..82583abd1d 100644
--- a/clients/web/Web.cpp
+++ b/clients/web/Web.cpp
@@ -110,9 +110,6 @@ int WebClient::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const KCom
     case LM_ButtonSpacing:
       return 0;
 
-    case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-      return 0;
-
     default:
       return KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(lm, respectWindowState, btn);
   }
diff --git a/lib/kcommondecoration.cpp b/lib/kcommondecoration.cpp
index 635f6f0a36..2070fa9a30 100644
--- a/lib/kcommondecoration.cpp
+++ b/lib/kcommondecoration.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ bool KCommonDecoration::decorationBehaviour(DecorationBehaviour behaviour) const
     return false;
 }
 
-int KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool, const KCommonDecorationButton *) const
+int KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool respectWindowState, const KCommonDecorationButton *button) const
 {
     switch (lm) {
         case LM_BorderLeft:
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ int KCommonDecoration::layoutMetric(LayoutMetric lm, bool, const KCommonDecorati
             return 0;
 
         case LM_ExplicitButtonSpacer:
-            return 5;
+            return layoutMetric(LM_ButtonWidth, respectWindowState, button )/2; // half button width by default
 
         default:
             return 0;