diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index 5432b53829..5b8ccd25ca 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ License. See the file "COPYING" for the exact licensing terms.
 #include <kglobalaccel.h>
 #include <QDesktopWidget>
 #include <QToolButton>
-#include <kipc.h>
 #include <kactioncollection.h>
 #include <kaction.h>
 #include <QtDBus/QtDBus>
@@ -52,6 +51,7 @@ License. See the file "COPYING" for the exact licensing terms.
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <kauthorized.h>
 #include <ktoolinvocation.h>
+#include <kglobalsettings.h>
 
 namespace KWinInternal
 {
@@ -319,11 +319,12 @@ void Workspace::init()
             SLOT(slotReconfigure()));
     connect( &updateToolWindowsTimer, SIGNAL( timeout()), this, SLOT( slotUpdateToolWindows()));
 
-    connect(kapp, SIGNAL(appearanceChanged()), this,
+    connect(KGlobalSettings::self(), SIGNAL(appearanceChanged()), this,
             SLOT(slotReconfigure()));
-    connect(kapp, SIGNAL(settingsChanged(int)), this,
+    connect(KGlobalSettings::self(), SIGNAL(settingsChanged(int)), this,
             SLOT(slotSettingsChanged(int)));
-    connect(kapp, SIGNAL( kipcMessage( int, int )), this, SLOT( kipcMessage( int, int )));
+    connect(KGlobalSettings::self(), SIGNAL(blockShortcuts(int)), this,
+            SLOT(slotBlockShortcuts(int)));
 
     active_client = NULL;
     rootInfo->setActiveWindow( None );
@@ -856,7 +857,7 @@ void Workspace::reconfigure()
 void Workspace::slotSettingsChanged(int category)
     {
     kDebug(1212) << "Workspace::slotSettingsChanged()" << endl;
-    if( category == (int) KApplication::SETTINGS_SHORTCUTS )
+    if( category == KGlobalSettings::SETTINGS_SHORTCUTS )
         readShortcuts();
     }
 
@@ -2466,21 +2467,19 @@ void Workspace::disableGlobalShortcutsForClient( bool disable )
         {
         if( disable )
             pending_dfc = true;
-        KIPC::sendMessageAll( KIPC::BlockShortcuts, disable );
+        KGlobalSettings::self()->emitChange( KGlobalSettings::BlockShortcuts, disable );
         // kwin will get the kipc message too
         }
     }
 
 void Workspace::disableGlobalShortcuts( bool disable )
     {
-    KIPC::sendMessageAll( KIPC::BlockShortcuts, disable );
+    KGlobalSettings::self()->emitChange( KGlobalSettings::BlockShortcuts, disable );
     // kwin will get the kipc message too
     }
 
-void Workspace::kipcMessage( int id, int data )
+void Workspace::slotBlockShortcuts( int data )
     {
-    if( id != KIPC::BlockShortcuts )
-        return;
     if( pending_dfc && data )
         {
         global_shortcuts_disabled_for_client = true;
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index ae6d4fc537..91ba1dbbaf 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
         void sendPingToWindow( Window w, Time timestamp ); // called from Client::pingWindow()
         void sendTakeActivity( Client* c, Time timestamp, long flags ); // called from Client::takeActivity()
-        
+
     // only called from Client::destroyClient() or Client::releaseWindow()
         void removeClient( Client*, allowed_t );
         void setActiveClient( Client*, allowed_t );
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void focusToNull(); // SELI public?
         enum FocusChainChange { FocusChainMakeFirst, FocusChainMakeLast, FocusChainUpdate };
         void updateFocusChains( Client* c, FocusChainChange change );
-        
+
         bool forcedGlobalMouseGrab() const;
         void clientShortcutUpdated( Client* c );
         bool shortcutAvailable( const KShortcut& cut, Client* ignore = NULL ) const;
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
         void cancelDelayFocus();
         void requestDelayFocus( Client* );
-        
+
         void toggleTopDockShadows(bool on);
 
     public slots:
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void setupWindowShortcutDone( bool );
 
         void updateClientArea();
-        
+
     private slots:
         void desktopPopupAboutToShow();
         void clientPopupAboutToShow();
@@ -405,12 +405,12 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void gotTemporaryRulesMessage( const QString& );
         void cleanupTemporaryRules();
         void writeWindowRules();
-        void kipcMessage( int id, int data );
+        void slotBlockShortcuts(int data);
         // kompmgr
         void setPopupClientOpacity(int v);
         void resetClientOpacity();
         void setTransButtonText(int value);
-        // end 
+        // end
 
     protected:
         bool keyPressMouseEmulation( XKeyEvent& ev );
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         void raiseElectricBorders();
 
     // ------------------
-    
+
         void helperDialog( const QString& message, const Client* c );
 
         void calcDesktopLayout(int &x, int &y) const;
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         ClientList global_focus_chain; // this one is only for things like tabbox's MRU
         ClientList should_get_focus; // last is most recent
         ClientList attention_chain;
-        
+
         bool showing_desktop;
         ClientList showing_desktop_clients;
         int block_showing_desktop;
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         Window null_focus_window;
         bool forced_global_mouse_grab;
         friend class StackingUpdatesBlocker;
-        
+
         //kompmgr
         QSlider *transSlider;
         QPushButton *transButton;