diff --git a/atoms.cpp b/atoms.cpp
index 83d57269a9..6710531782 100644
--- a/atoms.cpp
+++ b/atoms.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Atoms::Atoms()
 
     atoms[n] = &kwm_command;
     names[n++] = (char *) "KWM_COMMAND";
-    
+
     atoms[n] = &motif_wm_hints;
     names[n++] = (char *) "_MOTIF_WM_HINTS";
 
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ Atoms::Atoms()
     atoms[n] = &net_kde_docking_windows;
     names[n++] = (char *) "_NET_KDE_DOCKING_WINDOWS";
 
+    atoms[n] = &net_avoid_spec;
+    names[n++] = (char *) "_NET_AVOID_SPEC";
+
     XInternAtoms( qt_xdisplay(), names, n, FALSE, atoms_return );
     for (int i = 0; i < n; i++ )
 	*atoms[i] = atoms_return[i];
diff --git a/atoms.h b/atoms.h
index 4ae39e9e5e..ba4de21754 100644
--- a/atoms.h
+++ b/atoms.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public:
     Atom kwm_win_icon; // compatibility
     Atom kwm_command;  // compatibility
     Atom kwm_running;
-    
+
     Atom motif_wm_hints;
 
     Atom net_number_of_desktops;
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ public:
     Atom net_wm_context_help;
 
     Atom net_kde_docking_windows;
+    Atom net_avoid_spec;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index f04abb7a42..2e136bce5c 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -1928,67 +1928,63 @@ QCString Client::sessionId()
 void Client::updateAvoidPolicy()
 {
 //  qDebug("kwin: Client::updateAvoidPolicy() - win id == %x", (int)win);
-  // Find out if we should be avoided.
+    // Find out if we should be avoided.
 
   // If this atom isn't set, set it now.
-  Atom avoidAtom = XInternAtom(qt_xdisplay(), "_NET_AVOID_SPEC", False);
+    XTextProperty avoidProp;
 
-  XTextProperty avoidProp;
+    Status avoidStatus = XGetTextProperty(qt_xdisplay(), win, &avoidProp, atoms->net_avoid_spec );
 
-  Status avoidStatus =
-    XGetTextProperty(qt_xdisplay(), win, &avoidProp, avoidAtom);
+    if (avoidStatus) {
 
-  if (0 != avoidStatus) {
+	//    qDebug("XGetTextProperty worked for atom _NET_AVOID_SPEC");
 
-//    qDebug("XGetTextProperty worked for atom _NET_AVOID_SPEC");
+	char ** avoidList;
+	int avoidListCount;
 
-    char ** avoidList;
-    int avoidListCount;
+	Status convertStatus = XTextPropertyToStringList(&avoidProp, &avoidList, &avoidListCount);
 
-    Status convertStatus =
-      XTextPropertyToStringList(&avoidProp, &avoidList, &avoidListCount);
+	if (convertStatus) {
 
-    if (0 != convertStatus) {
+	    //      qDebug("XTextPropertyToStringList succeded");
 
-//      qDebug("XTextPropertyToStringList succeded");
+	    avoid_ = true;
 
-      avoid_ = true;
+	    if (avoidListCount != 1) {
+		qDebug( "kwin: Client::updateAvoidPolicy(): "
+			"Extra values in avoidance list. Ignoring.");
+	    }
 
-      if (avoidListCount != 1) {
-        qDebug( "kwin: Client::updateAvoidPolicy(): "
-                "Extra values in avoidance list. Ignoring.");
-      }
+	    char * itemZero = avoidList[0];
 
-      char * itemZero = avoidList[0];
+	    //      qDebug("Anchoring to border %s", itemZero);
 
-//      qDebug("Anchoring to border %s", itemZero);
+	    switch (*itemZero) {
 
-      switch (*itemZero) {
+	    case 'N':
+		anchorEdge_ = AnchorNorth;
+		break;
+	    case 'S':
+		anchorEdge_ = AnchorSouth;
+		break;
+	    case 'E':
+		anchorEdge_ = AnchorEast;
+		break;
+	    case 'W':
+		anchorEdge_ = AnchorWest;
+		break;
+	    default:
+		avoid_ = false;
+		break;
+	    }
 
-        case 'N':
-          anchorEdge_ = AnchorNorth;
-          break;
-        case 'S':
-          anchorEdge_ = AnchorSouth;
-          break;
-        case 'E':
-          anchorEdge_ = AnchorEast;
-          break;
-        case 'W':
-          anchorEdge_ = AnchorWest;
-          break;
-        default:
-          avoid_ = false;
-          break;
-      }
+	    XFreeStringList(avoidList);
 
-      XFreeStringList(avoidList);
+	} else
+	    qDebug( "kwin: Client::updateAvoidPolicy(): "
+		    "XTextPropertyToStringList failed");
 
-    } else
-      qDebug( "kwin: Client::updateAvoidPolicy(): "
-              "XTextPropertyToStringList failed");
-
-  }
+    }
 }
 
 NoBorderClient::NoBorderClient( Workspace *ws, WId w, QWidget *parent, const char *name )