diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
index 1944787f5b..4449bf2509 100644
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 namespace KWin
 {
 
+extern int currentRefreshRate();
+
 //****************************************
 // Workspace
 //****************************************
@@ -195,30 +197,7 @@ void Workspace::setupCompositing()
         delete cm_selection;
         return;
         }
-    int rate = 0;
-    if( options->refreshRate > 0 )
-        { // use manually configured refresh rate
-        rate = options->refreshRate;
-        }
-#ifdef HAVE_XRANDR
-    else
-        { // autoconfigure refresh rate based on XRandR info
-        if( Extensions::randrAvailable() )
-            {
-            XRRScreenConfiguration *config = XRRGetScreenInfo( display(), rootWindow() );
-            rate = xrrRefreshRate = XRRConfigCurrentRate( config );
-            XRRFreeScreenConfigInfo( config );
-            }
-        }
-#endif
-    // 0Hz or less is invalid, so we fallback to a default rate
-    if( rate <= 0 )
-        rate = 50;
-    // QTimer gives us 1msec (1000Hz) at best, so we ignore anything higher;
-    // however, additional throttling prevents very high rates from taking place anyway
-    else if( rate > 1000 )
-        rate = 1000;
-    kDebug( 1212 ) << "Refresh rate " << rate << "Hz";
+    int rate = xrrRefreshRate = KWin::currentRefreshRate();
     compositeRate = 1000 / rate;
     lastCompositePaint.start();
     // fake a previous paint, so that the next starts right now
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 2a92b496fe..81a6684be7 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 namespace KWin
 {
 
+extern int currentRefreshRate();
+    
 // ****************************************
 // WinInfo
 // ****************************************
@@ -510,18 +512,16 @@ bool Workspace::workspaceEvent( XEvent * e )
                 {
 #ifdef HAVE_XRANDR
                 XRRUpdateConfiguration( e );
+#endif
                 if( compositing() )
                     {
                     // desktopResized() should take care of when the size or
                     // shape of the desktop has changed, but we also want to
                     // catch refresh rate changes
-                    XRRScreenConfiguration *config = XRRGetScreenInfo( display(), rootWindow() );
-                    bool changed = ( xrrRefreshRate != XRRConfigCurrentRate( config ));
-                    XRRFreeScreenConfigInfo( config );
-                    if( changed )
+                    if( xrrRefreshRate != currentRefreshRate() )
                         compositeResetTimer.start( 0 );
                     }
-#endif
+
                 }
             else if( e->type == Extensions::syncAlarmNotifyEvent() && Extensions::syncAvailable())
                 {
diff --git a/options.cpp b/options.cpp
index 4ec5e9316e..ae3e8db4c6 100644
--- a/options.cpp
+++ b/options.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 #include <QPalette>
 #include <QPixmap>
+#include <QProcess>
 #include <kapplication.h>
 #include <kconfig.h>
 #include <kglobal.h>
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 #include <kephal/screens.h>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_XRANDR
+#include <X11/extensions/Xrandr.h>
+#endif
+
+
 #endif
 
 namespace KWin
@@ -44,6 +50,46 @@ namespace KWin
 
 #ifndef KCMRULES
 
+static bool rrNvidia = false;
+int currentRefreshRate()
+    {
+    int rate = -1;
+    if( options->refreshRate > 0 ) // use manually configured refresh rate
+        rate = options->refreshRate;
+    else if ( rrNvidia )
+        {
+        QProcess nvidia_settings;
+        nvidia_settings.start( "nvidia-settings", QStringList() << "-t" << "-q" << "RefreshRate", QIODevice::ReadOnly );
+        nvidia_settings.waitForFinished();
+        if ( nvidia_settings.exitStatus() == QProcess::NormalExit )
+            {
+            QString reply = QString::fromLocal8Bit( nvidia_settings.readAllStandardOutput() );
+            bool ok;
+            rate = reply.split(' ').first().split(',').first().toUInt( &ok );
+            if ( !ok )
+                rate = -1;
+            }
+        }
+#ifdef HAVE_XRANDR
+    else if( Extensions::randrAvailable() )
+        {
+        XRRScreenConfiguration *config = XRRGetScreenInfo( display(), rootWindow() );
+        rate = XRRConfigCurrentRate( config );
+        XRRFreeScreenConfigInfo( config );
+        }
+#endif    
+        
+    // 0Hz or less is invalid, so we fallback to a default rate
+    if( rate <= 0 )
+        rate = 50;
+    // QTimer gives us 1msec (1000Hz) at best, so we ignore anything higher;
+    // however, additional throttling prevents very high rates from taking place anyway
+    else if( rate > 1000 )
+        rate = 1000;
+    kDebug( 1212 ) << "Refresh rate " << rate << "Hz";
+    return rate;
+    }
+
 Options::Options()
     : electric_borders( 0 )
     , electric_border_delay( 0 )
@@ -248,6 +294,7 @@ void Options::reloadCompositingSettings()
     // Compositing settings
     CompositingPrefs prefs;
     prefs.detect();
+    rrNvidia = prefs.driver() == "nvidia";
     useCompositing = config.readEntry( "Enabled" , prefs.recommendCompositing());
 
     QString compositingBackend = config.readEntry("Backend", "OpenGL");