diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
index fa06b09d9f..9bbb9c3066 100644
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ namespace KWinInternal
 #if defined( HAVE_XCOMPOSITE ) && defined( HAVE_XDAMAGE ) && defined( HAVE_XFIXES )
 void Workspace::setupCompositing()
     {
+    if( !options->useTranslucency )
+        return;
     if( !Extensions::compositeAvailable() || !Extensions::damageAvailable())
         return;
     if( scene != NULL )
@@ -36,12 +38,20 @@ void Workspace::setupCompositing()
 //    scene = new SceneBasic( this );
     scene = new SceneXrender( this );
     addDamage( 0, 0, displayWidth(), displayHeight());
+    foreach( Client* c, clients )
+        c->setupCompositing();
+    foreach( Unmanaged* c, unmanaged )
+        c->setupCompositing();
     }
 
 void Workspace::finishCompositing()
     {
     if( scene == NULL )
         return;
+    foreach( Client* c, clients )
+        c->finishCompositing();
+    foreach( Unmanaged* c, unmanaged )
+        c->finishCompositing();
     XCompositeUnredirectSubwindows( display(), rootWindow(), CompositeRedirectManual );
     compositeTimer.stop();
     // TODO stop tracking unmanaged windows
diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/windows.cpp b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/windows.cpp
index 51b323036d..89c0df9990 100644
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/windows.cpp
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/windows.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
 #include <kmessagebox.h>
 
-#include <qlabel.h>
+#include <kactivelabel.h>
 #include <klocale.h>
 #include <kcolorbutton.h>
 #include <kconfig.h>
@@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@ KTranslucencyConfig::KTranslucencyConfig (bool _standAlone, KConfig *_config, KI
   QVBoxLayout *lay = new QVBoxLayout (this);
   kompmgrAvailable_ = kompmgrAvailable();
   if (!kompmgrAvailable_){
-  QLabel *label = new QLabel(i18n("<qt><b>It seems that alpha channel support is not available.</b><br><br>"
+  KActiveLabel *label = new KActiveLabel(i18n("<qt><b>It seems that alpha channel support is not available.</b><br><br>"
                                  "Please make sure you have "
                                  "<a href=\"http://www.freedesktop.org/\">Xorg &ge; 6.8</a>,"
                                  " and have installed the kompmgr that came with kwin.<br>"
@@ -1255,7 +1255,6 @@ KTranslucencyConfig::KTranslucencyConfig (bool _standAlone, KConfig *_config, KI
                                  "And if your GPU provides hardware-accelerated Xrender support (mainly nVidia cards):<br><br>"
                                  "<i>Option     \"RenderAccel\" \"true\"</i><br>"
                                  "In <i>Section \"Device\"</i></qt>"), this);
-  label->setOpenExternalLinks(true);
   lay->addWidget(label);
   }
   else
@@ -1476,10 +1475,8 @@ void KTranslucencyConfig::load( void )
 
     if (!kompmgrAvailable_)
         return;
-  config->setGroup( "Notification Messages" );
-  useTranslucency->setChecked(config->readEntry("UseTranslucency", QVariant(false)).toBool());
-
   config->setGroup( "Translucency" );
+  useTranslucency->setChecked(config->readEntry("UseTranslucency", QVariant(false)).toBool());
   activeWindowTransparency->setChecked(config->readEntry("TranslucentActiveWindows", QVariant(false)).toBool());
   inactiveWindowTransparency->setChecked(config->readEntry("TranslucentInactiveWindows", QVariant(true)).toBool());
   movingWindowTransparency->setChecked(config->readEntry("TranslucentMovingWindows", QVariant(false)).toBool());
@@ -1539,10 +1536,8 @@ void KTranslucencyConfig::save( void )
 {
     if (!kompmgrAvailable_)
         return;
-  config->setGroup( "Notification Messages" );
-  config->writeEntry("UseTranslucency",useTranslucency->isChecked());
-
   config->setGroup( "Translucency" );
+  config->writeEntry("UseTranslucency",useTranslucency->isChecked());
   config->writeEntry("TranslucentActiveWindows",activeWindowTransparency->isChecked());
   config->writeEntry("TranslucentInactiveWindows",inactiveWindowTransparency->isChecked());
   config->writeEntry("TranslucentMovingWindows",movingWindowTransparency->isChecked());
diff --git a/options.cpp b/options.cpp
index df57b750d9..d106922d87 100644
--- a/options.cpp
+++ b/options.cpp
@@ -174,9 +174,8 @@ unsigned long Options::updateSettings()
     CmdAllWheel = mouseWheelCommand(config->readEntry("CommandAllWheel","Nothing"));
 
     //translucency settings - TODO
-    config->setGroup( "Notification Messages" );
-    useTranslucency = config->readEntry("UseTranslucency", QVariant(false)).toBool();
     config->setGroup( "Translucency");
+    useTranslucency = config->readEntry("UseTranslucency", QVariant(true)).toBool();
     translucentActiveWindows = config->readEntry("TranslucentActiveWindows", QVariant(false)).toBool();
     activeWindowOpacity = uint((config->readEntry("ActiveWindowOpacity", 100)/100.0)*0xFFFFFFFF);
     translucentInactiveWindows = config->readEntry("TranslucentInactiveWindows", QVariant(false)).toBool();
diff --git a/toplevel.h b/toplevel.h
index 35c4e85387..dceaf55e4b 100644
--- a/toplevel.h
+++ b/toplevel.h
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ class Toplevel
         Pixmap windowPixmap() const;
         Visual* visual() const;
         virtual float opacity() const = 0;
-    protected:
         void setupCompositing();
         void finishCompositing();
+    protected:
         void setHandle( Window id );
         void resetWindowPixmap();
         void damageNotifyEvent( XDamageNotifyEvent* e );
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index 3bb8adbc7d..34aef32842 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -961,6 +961,11 @@ void Workspace::slotReconfigure()
         updateTopMenuGeometry();
         updateCurrentTopMenu();
         }
+        
+    if( options->useTranslucency )
+        setupCompositing();
+    else
+        finishCompositing();
 
     loadWindowRules();
     for( ClientList::Iterator it = clients.begin();