diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 8ec14bf40d..b8c5ca9b6e 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -209,10 +209,15 @@ bool Workspace::workspaceEvent( XEvent * e )
         && ( e->type == KeyPress || e->type == KeyRelease ))
         return false; // let Qt process it, it'll be intercepted again in eventFilter()
 
-    if ( e->type == PropertyNotify || e->type == ClientMessage ) 
+    if( e->type == PropertyNotify || e->type == ClientMessage )
         {
-        if ( netCheck( e ) )
-            return true;
+        unsigned long dirty[ NETRootInfo::PROPERTIES_SIZE ];
+        rootInfo->event( e, dirty, NETRootInfo::PROPERTIES_SIZE );
+        if( dirty[ NETRootInfo::PROTOCOLS ] & NET::DesktopNames )
+            saveDesktopSettings();
+        if( dirty[ NETRootInfo::PROTOCOLS2 ] & NET::WM2DesktopLayout )
+            setDesktopLayout( rootInfo->desktopLayoutOrientation(), rootInfo->desktopLayoutColumnsRows().width(),
+                rootInfo->desktopLayoutColumnsRows().height(), rootInfo->desktopLayoutCorner());
         }
 
     // events that should be handled before Clients can get them
@@ -548,20 +553,6 @@ Window Workspace::findSpecialEventWindow( XEvent* e )
         };
     }
 
-/*!
-  Handles client messages sent to the workspace
- */
-bool Workspace::netCheck( XEvent* e )
-    {
-    unsigned int dirty = rootInfo->event( e );
-
-    if ( dirty & NET::DesktopNames )
-        saveDesktopSettings();
-
-    return dirty != 0;
-    }
-
-
 // ****************************************
 // Client
 // ****************************************
diff --git a/org.kde.KWin.xml b/org.kde.KWin.xml
index 6f9908b863..b3573195a3 100644
--- a/org.kde.KWin.xml
+++ b/org.kde.KWin.xml
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@
     <arg name="x" type="i" direction="in"/>
     <arg name="y" type="i" direction="in"/>
     </method>
-    <method name="setDesktopLayout">
-    <arg name="orientation" type="i" direction="in"/>
-    <arg name="x" type="i" direction="in"/>
-    <arg name="y" type="i" direction="in"/>
-    </method>
     <method name="setCurrentDesktop">
     <arg name="desktop" type="i" direction="in"/>
     <arg type="b" direction="out"/>
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index 1a8dfd369d..51e6a98126 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ void Workspace::init()
         NET::WM2ExtendedStrut |
         NET::WM2KDETemporaryRules |
         NET::WM2ShowingDesktop |
+        NET::WM2DesktopLayout |
         0
         ,
         NET::ActionMove |
@@ -1599,25 +1600,26 @@ void Workspace::sendClientToDesktop( Client* c, int desk, bool dont_activate )
     updateClientArea();
     }
 
-void Workspace::setDesktopLayout(int o, int x, int y)
+void Workspace::setDesktopLayout(NET::Orientation o, int x, int y,NET::DesktopLayoutCorner c)
     {
-    layoutOrientation = (Qt::Orientation) o;
+    Q_UNUSED( c ); // I don't find this worth bothering, feel free to
+    layoutOrientation = ( o == NET::OrientationHorizontal ? Qt::Horizontal : Qt::Vertical );
     layoutX = x;
     layoutY = y;
     }
 
 void Workspace::calcDesktopLayout(int* xp, int* yp, Qt::Orientation* orientation) const
     {
-    int x = layoutX;
+    x = layoutX; // <= 0 means compute it from the other and total number of desktops
     int y = layoutY;
-    if ((x == -1) && (y > 0))
+    if((x <= 0) && (y > 0))
        x = (numberOfDesktops()+y-1) / y;
-    else if ((y == -1) && (x > 0))
+    else if((y <=0) && (x > 0))
        y = (numberOfDesktops()+x-1) / x;
 
-    if (x == -1)
+    if(x <=0)
        x = 1;
-    if (y == -1)
+    if (y <= 0)
        y = 1;
     *xp = x;
     *yp = y;
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index 9470bfa35e..d2a2165dc1 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void circulateDesktopApplications();
 
         QString desktopName( int desk ) const;
-        void setDesktopLayout(int o, int x, int y);
+        void setDesktopLayout(NET::Orientation o, int x, int y, NET::DesktopLayoutCorner c);
         void setShowingDesktop( bool showing );
         void resetShowingDesktop( bool keep_hidden );
         bool showingDesktop() const;
@@ -457,7 +457,6 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
     protected:
         bool keyPressMouseEmulation( XKeyEvent& ev );
-        bool netCheck( XEvent* e );
 
     private:
         void init();