diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 2e227f5173..6730ac886e 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,6 @@
 #include <klocale.h>
 
 
-static KCmdLineOptions cmdOptions[]  =
-{
-  { "+[workspace]", I18N_NOOP("A cryptic command line option"), 0 },
-  { 0, 0, 0 }
-};
-
 Options* options;
 Atoms* atoms;
 
@@ -67,27 +61,24 @@ int x11ErrorHandler(Display *d, XErrorEvent *e){
 Application::Application( )
 : KApplication( )
 {
-    initting = TRUE;
-    options = new Options;
-    atoms = new Atoms;
+    initting = TRUE; // startup....
 
     // install X11 error handler
     XSetErrorHandler( x11ErrorHandler );
 
+    // check  whether another windowmanager is running
+    XSelectInput(qt_xdisplay(), qt_xrootwin(), SubstructureRedirectMask  );
+    syncX(); // trigger error now
+
+    options = new Options;
+    atoms = new Atoms;
+
     // create a workspace.
     workspaces += new Workspace();
-    initting = FALSE;
-
-    KCmdLineArgs *args = KCmdLineArgs::parsedArgs();
-    if ( args->count() ) {
-	QString s = args->arg(0);
-	int i = s.toInt();
-	workspaces += new Workspace( (WId ) i );
-    }
-    args->clear();
-
-    syncX();
-    initting = FALSE;
+ 
+    syncX(); // trigger possible errors, there's still a chance to abort
+    
+    initting = FALSE; // startup done, we are up and running now.
 }
 
 
@@ -172,7 +163,6 @@ int main( int argc, char * argv[] )
     aboutData.addAuthor("Daniel M. Duley",0, "mosfet@kde.org");
 
     KCmdLineArgs::init(argc, argv, &aboutData);
-    KCmdLineArgs::addCmdLineOptions( cmdOptions );
 
     if (signal(SIGTERM, sighandler) == SIG_IGN)
 	signal(SIGTERM, SIG_IGN);
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index 30147290fe..16ea3ec542 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ Client* Workspace::clientFactory( Workspace *ws, WId w )
 
 Workspace::Workspace()
 {
-    root = qt_xrootwin(); // no MDI for now
+    root = qt_xrootwin();
 
     (void) QApplication::desktop(); // trigger creation of desktop widget
     desktop_widget = new QWidget(0, "desktop_widget", Qt::WType_Desktop | Qt::WPaintUnclipped );
@@ -130,27 +130,6 @@ Workspace::Workspace()
     tab_box = new TabBox( this );
 }
 
-Workspace::Workspace( WId rootwin )
-{
-    qDebug("create MDI workspace for %d", rootwin );
-    root = rootwin;
-
-    // select windowmanager privileges
-    XSelectInput(qt_xdisplay(), root,
-		 KeyPressMask |
-		 PropertyChangeMask |
-		 ColormapChangeMask |
-		 SubstructureRedirectMask |
-		 SubstructureNotifyMask
-		 );
-
-    control_grab = FALSE;
-    tab_grab = FALSE;
-    tab_box = 0;
-    keys = 0;
-    init();
-}
-
 void Workspace::init()
 {
     tab_box = 0;
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index 797311bb80..b070378272 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ class Workspace : public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     Workspace();
-    Workspace( WId rootwin );
     virtual ~Workspace();
 
     virtual bool workspaceEvent( XEvent * );
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ protected:
     bool keyRelease( XKeyEvent key );
     bool keyPressMouseEmulation( XKeyEvent key );
     bool clientMessage( XClientMessageEvent msg );
-	
+
 private:
     void init();
     KGlobalAccel *keys;