diff --git a/effects.cpp b/effects.cpp
index 8058ef5109..e9ddd8612e 100644
--- a/effects.cpp
+++ b/effects.cpp
@@ -274,8 +274,8 @@ EffectsHandler::EffectsHandler( Workspace* ws )
     {
     if( !compositing())
         return;
-    mht = new MakeHalfTransparent;
-    sm = new ShakyMove;
+//    mht = new MakeHalfTransparent;
+//    sm = new ShakyMove;
 //    gm = new GrowMove;
 //    swu = new ShiftWorkspaceUp( ws );
     }
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index fca5bdf39e..2ed9e46747 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -1653,7 +1653,6 @@ void Unmanaged::unmapNotifyEvent( XUnmapEvent* )
 
 void Unmanaged::configureNotifyEvent( XConfigureEvent* e )
     {
-    resetWindowPixmap();
     // TODO add damage only if the window is not obscured
     workspace()->addDamage( geometry());
     geom = QRect( e->x, e->y, e->width, e->height );
diff --git a/geometry.cpp b/geometry.cpp
index 40f154e593..0020a2849f 100644
--- a/geometry.cpp
+++ b/geometry.cpp
@@ -1686,7 +1686,6 @@ void Client::setGeometry( int x, int y, int w, int h, ForceGeometry_t force )
     sendSyntheticConfigureNotify();
     updateWindowRules();
     checkMaximizeGeometry();
-    resetWindowPixmap();
     addDamage( rect());
     }
 
@@ -1743,7 +1742,6 @@ void Client::plainResize( int w, int h, ForceGeometry_t force )
     sendSyntheticConfigureNotify();
     updateWindowRules();
     checkMaximizeGeometry();
-    resetWindowPixmap();
     // TODO add damage only in added area?
     addDamage( rect());
     }
diff --git a/scene_basic.cpp b/scene_basic.cpp
index c1dff73041..c237074d85 100644
--- a/scene_basic.cpp
+++ b/scene_basic.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@ void SceneBasic::paint( QRegion, ToplevelList windows )
         QRect r = (*it)->geometry().intersect( QRect( 0, 0, displayWidth(), displayHeight()));
         if( !r.isEmpty())
             {
-            XCopyArea( display(), (*it)->windowPixmap(), composite_pixmap, gc,
+            Pixmap pix = (*it)->createWindowPixmap();
+            XCopyArea( display(), pix, composite_pixmap, gc,
                 qMax( 0, -(*it)->x()), qMax( 0, -(*it)->y()), r.width(), r.height(), r.x(), r.y());
+            XFreePixmap( display(), pix );
             }
         }
     XCopyArea( display(), composite_pixmap, rootWindow(), gc, 0, 0, displayWidth(), displayHeight(), 0, 0 );
diff --git a/scene_opengl.cpp b/scene_opengl.cpp
index e18485228b..f2b1add65e 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl.cpp
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ void SceneOpenGL::Window::bindTexture()
         glBindTexture( GL_TEXTURE_RECTANGLE_ARB, texture );
         return;
         }
-    Pixmap pix = toplevel->windowPixmap();
+    Pixmap window_pix = toplevel->createWindowPixmap();
+    Pixmap pix = window_pix;
     // HACK
     // When a window uses ARGB visual and has a decoration, the decoration
     // does use ARGB visual. When converting such window to a texture
@@ -304,7 +305,7 @@ void SceneOpenGL::Window::bindTexture()
     // only when the window changes anyway, so no need to cache
     // the pixmap
     glXDestroyPixmap( display(), pixmap );
-    toplevel->resetWindowPixmap();
+    XFreePixmap( display(), window_pix );
 #ifdef ALPHA_CLEAR_COPY
     if( alpha_clear )
         XFreePixmap( display(), pix );
diff --git a/scene_xrender.cpp b/scene_xrender.cpp
index 7fdff29344..c7a0848768 100644
--- a/scene_xrender.cpp
+++ b/scene_xrender.cpp
@@ -295,8 +295,17 @@ bool SceneXrender::WindowData::simpleTransformation() const
 
 Picture SceneXrender::WindowData::picture()
     {
+    if( !window->damage().isEmpty() && _picture != None )
+        {
+        XRenderFreePicture( display(), _picture );
+        _picture = None;
+        }
     if( _picture == None && format != NULL )
-        _picture = XRenderCreatePicture( display(), window->windowPixmap(), format, 0, 0 );
+        {
+        Pixmap pix = window->createWindowPixmap();
+        _picture = XRenderCreatePicture( display(), pix, format, 0, 0 );
+        XFreePixmap( display(), pix ); // the picture owns the pixmap
+        }
     return _picture;
     }
 
diff --git a/toplevel.cpp b/toplevel.cpp
index 879479bd26..f9c1eac435 100644
--- a/toplevel.cpp
+++ b/toplevel.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ Toplevel::Toplevel( Workspace* ws )
     , id( None )
     , wspace( ws )
     , damage_handle( None )
-    , window_pixmap( None )
     , is_shape( false )
     {
     }
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ Toplevel::Toplevel( Workspace* ws )
 Toplevel::~Toplevel()
     {
     assert( damage_handle == None );
-    assert( window_pixmap == None );
     }
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
diff --git a/toplevel.h b/toplevel.h
index 61ca988a00..71c8dc2eb0 100644
--- a/toplevel.h
+++ b/toplevel.h
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ class Toplevel
         bool isSplash() const;
         bool isUtility() const;
 
-        Pixmap windowPixmap() const;
-        void resetWindowPixmap();
+        Pixmap createWindowPixmap() const;
         Visual* visual() const;
         bool shape() const;
         virtual double opacity() const = 0;
@@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ class Toplevel
         Workspace* wspace;
         Damage damage_handle;
         QRegion damage_region;
-        mutable Pixmap window_pixmap;
         bool is_shape;
     };
 
diff --git a/unmanaged.cpp b/unmanaged.cpp
index c8c81d0615..9a1a38ac7d 100644
--- a/unmanaged.cpp
+++ b/unmanaged.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ bool Unmanaged::track( Window w )
         XShapeSelectInput( display(), w, ShapeNotifyMask );
     detectShape( w );
     setupCompositing();
-    resetWindowPixmap();
     return true;
     }