diff --git a/clientgroup.cpp b/clientgroup.cpp
index a349fff3a0..f8604b60ed 100644
--- a/clientgroup.cpp
+++ b/clientgroup.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void ClientGroup::add(Client* c, int before, bool becomeVisible)
 
     // Notify effects of merge
     if (effects != NULL)
-        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->clientGroupItemAdded(
+        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->slotClientGroupItemAdded(
             c->effectWindow(), clients_[visible_]->effectWindow());
 
     // Actually remove from old group if required and update
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ void ClientGroup::remove(Client* c, const QRect& newGeom, bool toNullGroup)
 
     // Notify effects of removal
     if (effects)
-        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->clientGroupItemRemoved(
+        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->slotClientGroupItemRemoved(
             c->effectWindow(), newVisible->effectWindow());
 
     setVisible(newVisible);   // Display new window before removing old one
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void ClientGroup::setVisible(Client* c)
 
     // Notify effects of switch
     if (effects != NULL)
-        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->clientGroupItemSwitched(
+        static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->slotClientGroupItemSwitched(
             clients_[visible_]->effectWindow(), c->effectWindow());
 
     visible_ = indexOfClient(c);
diff --git a/effects.cpp b/effects.cpp
index 10a6a6df41..c2c401dbd1 100644
--- a/effects.cpp
+++ b/effects.cpp
@@ -364,22 +364,19 @@ void EffectsHandlerImpl::slotClientUnminimized(Client* c, bool animate)
     }
 }
 
-void EffectsHandlerImpl::clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
+void EffectsHandlerImpl::slotClientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
 {
-    foreach (const EffectPair & ep, loaded_effects)
-    ep.second->clientGroupItemSwitched(from, to);
+    emit clientGroupItemSwitched(from, to);
 }
 
-void EffectsHandlerImpl::clientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
+void EffectsHandlerImpl::slotClientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
 {
-    foreach (const EffectPair & ep, loaded_effects)
-    ep.second->clientGroupItemAdded(from, to);
+    emit clientGroupItemAdded(from, to);
 }
 
-void EffectsHandlerImpl::clientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group)
+void EffectsHandlerImpl::slotClientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group)
 {
-    foreach (const EffectPair & ep, loaded_effects)
-    ep.second->clientGroupItemRemoved(c, group);
+    emit clientGroupItemRemoved(c, group);
 }
 
 void EffectsHandlerImpl::slotDesktopChanged(int old)
diff --git a/effects.h b/effects.h
index 7ea1ad071b..31ed151684 100644
--- a/effects.h
+++ b/effects.h
@@ -159,9 +159,6 @@ public:
     // internal (used by kwin core or compositing code)
     void startPaint();
     void windowMoveResizeGeometryUpdate(EffectWindow* c, const QRect& geometry);
-    void clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
-    void clientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
-    void clientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group);
     void windowDamaged(EffectWindow* w, const QRect& r);
     void windowGeometryShapeChanged(EffectWindow* w, const QRect& old);
     bool borderActivated(ElectricBorder border);
@@ -184,6 +181,9 @@ public:
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void slotWindowUserMovedResized(EffectWindow* c, bool first, bool last);
+    void slotClientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
+    void slotClientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
+    void slotClientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group);
 
 protected Q_SLOTS:
     void slotDesktopChanged(int old);
diff --git a/effects/slideback/slideback.cpp b/effects/slideback/slideback.cpp
index 5f697aa5ff..5377025582 100644
--- a/effects/slideback/slideback.cpp
+++ b/effects/slideback/slideback.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ SlideBackEffect::SlideBackEffect()
     connect(effects, SIGNAL(windowActivated(EffectWindow*)), this, SLOT(slotWindowActivated(EffectWindow*)));
     connect(effects, SIGNAL(windowDeleted(EffectWindow*)), this, SLOT(slotWindowDeleted(EffectWindow*)));
     connect(effects, SIGNAL(windowUnminimized(EffectWindow*)), this, SLOT(slotWindowUnminimized(EffectWindow*)));
+    connect(effects, SIGNAL(clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow*,EffectWindow*)), this, SLOT(slotClientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow*,EffectWindow*)));
 }
 
 static inline bool windowsShareDesktop(EffectWindow *w1, EffectWindow *w2)
@@ -309,7 +310,7 @@ void SlideBackEffect::slotWindowUnminimized(EffectWindow* w)
     }
 }
 
-void SlideBackEffect::clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
+void SlideBackEffect::slotClientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to)
 {
     clientItemShown = to;
     clientItemHidden = from;
diff --git a/effects/slideback/slideback.h b/effects/slideback/slideback.h
index 0f2480e47b..f48469b502 100644
--- a/effects/slideback/slideback.h
+++ b/effects/slideback/slideback.h
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ public:
     virtual void prePaintScreen(ScreenPrePaintData &data, int time);
     virtual void postPaintScreen();
 
-    virtual void clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
-
     virtual void tabBoxClosed();
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
@@ -50,6 +48,7 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     void slotWindowActivated(EffectWindow *w);
     void slotWindowDeleted(EffectWindow *w);
     void slotWindowUnminimized(EffectWindow *w);
+    void slotClientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
 
 private:
 
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
index 8c2352fcde..b34f853d22 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
@@ -123,18 +123,6 @@ void Effect::windowMoveResizeGeometryUpdate(EffectWindow* , const QRect&)
 {
 }
 
-void Effect::clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow*, EffectWindow*)
-{
-}
-
-void Effect::clientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow*, EffectWindow*)
-{
-}
-
-void Effect::clientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow*, EffectWindow*)
-{
-}
-
 void Effect::windowInputMouseEvent(Window, QEvent*)
 {
 }
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
index d17488fc3f..fe6cfc3096 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
@@ -442,9 +442,6 @@ public:
 
     /** called when the geometry changed during moving/resizing. */
     virtual void windowMoveResizeGeometryUpdate(EffectWindow* c, const QRect& geometry);
-    virtual void clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
-    virtual void clientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);   // from merged with to
-    virtual void clientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group);   // c removed from group
     virtual void windowInputMouseEvent(Window w, QEvent* e);
     virtual void windowDamaged(EffectWindow* w, const QRect& r);
     virtual void windowGeometryShapeChanged(EffectWindow* w, const QRect& old);
@@ -926,6 +923,9 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
      * @since 4.7
      **/
     void tabBoxKeyEvent(QKeyEvent* event);
+    void clientGroupItemSwitched(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
+    void clientGroupItemAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);   // from merged with to
+    void clientGroupItemRemoved(EffectWindow* c, EffectWindow* group);   // c removed from group
 
 protected:
     QVector< EffectPair > loaded_effects;