diff --git a/COMPOSITE_TODO b/COMPOSITE_TODO
index a318cdfdbd..24dbeab560 100644
--- a/COMPOSITE_TODO
+++ b/COMPOSITE_TODO
@@ -240,3 +240,6 @@ Performance
 + various caching - there are many things that usually don't change and could gain few fps (is it worth it?)
     - Workspace::performCompositing()
     - WindowQuadList could perhaps cache quads split by contents/decoration (for select())
+
++ avoiding X roundtrips each compositing pass
+    - right now it at least always polls the mouse position and the current stacking order
diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
index ed88cae258..5ffae47277 100644
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -294,13 +294,7 @@ void Workspace::performCompositing()
         return;
         }
     // create a list of all windows in the stacking order
-    ToplevelList windows;
-    foreach( Client* c, stacking_order )
-        windows.append( c );
-    foreach( Unmanaged* c, unmanaged_stacking_order )
-        windows.append( c );
-    foreach( Deleted* c, deleted ) // TODO remember stacking order somehow
-        windows.append( c );
+    ToplevelList windows = rootStackingOrder();
     foreach( EffectWindow* c, static_cast< EffectsHandlerImpl* >( effects )->elevatedWindows())
         {
         Toplevel* t = static_cast< EffectWindowImpl* >( c )->window();
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 4bf23bdbce..5d99ba62bb 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -1714,7 +1714,6 @@ void Unmanaged::configureNotifyEvent( XConfigureEvent* e )
         if( effects != NULL )
             static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->windowGeometryShapeChanged( effectWindow(), old );
         }
-    workspace()->restackUnmanaged( this, e->above );
     }
 
 // ****************************************
diff --git a/layers.cpp b/layers.cpp
index c0fa590a34..1b845eb1fb 100644
--- a/layers.cpp
+++ b/layers.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "group.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "unmanaged.h"
+#include "deleted.h"
 #include <QX11Info>
 
 namespace KWin
@@ -719,42 +720,27 @@ bool Workspace::keepTransientAbove( const Client* mainwindow, const Client* tran
     return true;
     }
 
-void Workspace::restackUnmanaged( Unmanaged* c, Window above )
+// Returns all windows in their stacking order on the root window, used only by compositing.
+// TODO This possibly should be optimized to avoid the X roundtrip and building it every pass.
+ToplevelList Workspace::rootStackingOrder() const
     {
-    if( above == None )
-        {
-        unmanaged_stacking_order.removeAll( c );
-        unmanaged_stacking_order.prepend( c );
-        addRepaint( c->geometry());
-        return;
-        }
-    bool was_below = false;
-    for( int i = 0;
-         i < unmanaged_stacking_order.size();
+    Window dummy;
+    Window* windows;
+    unsigned int count = 0;
+    XQueryTree( display(), rootWindow(), &dummy, &dummy, &windows, &count );
+    ToplevelList ret;
+    for( unsigned int i = 0;
+         i < count;
          ++i )
         {
-        if( unmanaged_stacking_order.at( i )->window() == above )
-            {
-            if( i + 1 < unmanaged_stacking_order.size()
-                && unmanaged_stacking_order.at( i + 1 ) == c )
-                {
-                // it is already there, do nothing
-                return;
-                }
-            unmanaged_stacking_order.removeAll( c );
-            if( was_below )
-                --i;
-            unmanaged_stacking_order.insert( i + 1, c );
-            addRepaint( c->geometry());
-            return;
-            }
-        if( unmanaged_stacking_order.at( i ) == c )
-            was_below = true;
+        if( Client* c = findClient( FrameIdMatchPredicate( windows[ i ] )))
+            ret.append( c );
+        else if( Unmanaged* c = findUnmanaged( WindowMatchPredicate( windows[ i ] )))
+            ret.append( c );
         }
-    // TODO not found?
-    unmanaged_stacking_order.removeAll( c );
-    unmanaged_stacking_order.append( c );
-    addRepaint( c->geometry());
+    foreach( Deleted* c, deleted )
+        ret.append( c );
+    return ret;
     }
 
 //*******************************
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index cffe4cfa1f..b9965c2ab1 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -564,7 +564,6 @@ void Workspace::addClient( Client* c, allowed_t )
 void Workspace::addUnmanaged( Unmanaged* c, allowed_t )
     {
     unmanaged.append( c );
-    unmanaged_stacking_order.append( c );
     }
 
 /*
@@ -632,7 +631,6 @@ void Workspace::removeUnmanaged( Unmanaged* c, allowed_t )
     {
     assert( unmanaged.contains( c ));
     unmanaged.removeAll( c );
-    unmanaged_stacking_order.removeAll( c );
     }
 
 void Workspace::addDeleted( Deleted* c, allowed_t )
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index 73e5e2b804..814bb135c6 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
         bool hasClient( const Client * );
 
-        template< typename T > Client* findClient( T predicate );
+        template< typename T > Client* findClient( T predicate ) const;
         template< typename T1, typename T2 > void forEachClient( T1 procedure, T2 predicate );
         template< typename T > void forEachClient( T procedure );
-        template< typename T > Unmanaged* findUnmanaged( T predicate );
+        template< typename T > Unmanaged* findUnmanaged( T predicate ) const;
         template< typename T1, typename T2 > void forEachUnmanaged( T1 procedure, T2 predicate );
         template< typename T > void forEachUnmanaged( T procedure );
 
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void updateClientLayer( Client* c );
         void raiseOrLowerClient( Client * );
         void restoreSessionStackingOrder( Client* c );
-        void restackUnmanaged( Unmanaged* c, Window above );
         void reconfigure();
         void forceRestacking();
 
@@ -508,6 +507,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void removeTabBoxGrab();
 
         void updateStackingOrder( bool propagate_new_clients = false );
+        ToplevelList rootStackingOrder() const;
         void propagateClients( bool propagate_new_clients ); // called only from updateStackingOrder
         ClientList constrainedStackingOrder();
         void raiseClientWithinApplication( Client* c );
@@ -601,7 +601,6 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
         ClientList unconstrained_stacking_order; // topmost last
         ClientList stacking_order; // topmost last
-        UnmanagedList unmanaged_stacking_order;
         bool force_restacking;
         QVector< ClientList > focus_chain; // currently ative last
         ClientList global_focus_chain; // this one is only for things like tabbox's MRU
@@ -896,7 +895,7 @@ QPoint Workspace::focusMousePosition() const
     }
 
 template< typename T >
-inline Client* Workspace::findClient( T predicate )
+inline Client* Workspace::findClient( T predicate ) const
     {
     if( Client* ret = findClientInList( clients, predicate ))
         return ret;
@@ -923,7 +922,7 @@ inline void Workspace::forEachClient( T procedure )
     }
 
 template< typename T >
-inline Unmanaged* Workspace::findUnmanaged( T predicate )
+inline Unmanaged* Workspace::findUnmanaged( T predicate ) const
     {
     return findUnmanagedInList( unmanaged, predicate );
     }