diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
index e0c6d40af6..710ffa00d4 100644
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -261,8 +261,11 @@ void Workspace::setupOverlay( Window w )
     {
     assert( overlay != None );
     XShapeCombineRectangles( display(), overlay, ShapeInput, 0, 0, NULL, 0, ShapeSet, Unsorted );
-    XShapeCombineRectangles( display(), w, ShapeInput, 0, 0, NULL, 0, ShapeSet, Unsorted );
-    XMapWindow( display(), w );
+    if( w != None )
+        {
+        XShapeCombineRectangles( display(), w, ShapeInput, 0, 0, NULL, 0, ShapeSet, Unsorted );
+        XMapWindow( display(), w );
+        }
     XMapRaised( display(), overlay );
     }
 
diff --git a/scene_xrender.cpp b/scene_xrender.cpp
index 17a8f7f554..3f604defae 100644
--- a/scene_xrender.cpp
+++ b/scene_xrender.cpp
@@ -77,9 +77,17 @@ SceneXrender::SceneXrender( Workspace* ws )
     {
     // create XRender picture for the root window
     format = XRenderFindVisualFormat( display(), DefaultVisual( display(), DefaultScreen( display())));
-    XRenderPictureAttributes pa;
-    pa.subwindow_mode = IncludeInferiors;
-    front = XRenderCreatePicture( display(), rootWindow(), format, CPSubwindowMode, &pa );
+    if( wspace->createOverlay())
+        {
+        wspace->setupOverlay( None );
+        front = XRenderCreatePicture( display(), wspace->overlayWindow(), format, 0, NULL );
+        }
+    else
+        {
+        XRenderPictureAttributes pa;
+        pa.subwindow_mode = IncludeInferiors;
+        front = XRenderCreatePicture( display(), rootWindow(), format, CPSubwindowMode, &pa );
+        }
     createBuffer();
     }
 
@@ -87,6 +95,7 @@ SceneXrender::~SceneXrender()
     {
     XRenderFreePicture( display(), front );
     XRenderFreePicture( display(), buffer );
+    wspace->destroyOverlay();
     for( QMap< Toplevel*, Window >::Iterator it = windows.begin();
          it != windows.end();
          ++it )