diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinrules/CMakeLists.txt b/kcmkwin/kwinrules/CMakeLists.txt
index 1d06cd3a31..a9b809c6b4 100644
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinrules/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinrules/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ set(kwin_rules_dialog_KDEINIT_SRCS main.cpp ${kwinrules_SRCS})
 
 kde4_add_kdeinit_executable( kwin_rules_dialog ${kwin_rules_dialog_KDEINIT_SRCS})
 
-target_link_libraries(kdeinit_kwin_rules_dialog ${KDE4_KDEUI_LIBS} ${KDE4_KIO_LIBS} ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${KACTIVITIES_LIBRARY})
+set(kwin_kcm_rules_XCB_LIBS
+    ${XCB_XCB_LIBRARIES}
+    ${X11_XCB_LIBRARIES}
+)
+
+target_link_libraries(kdeinit_kwin_rules_dialog ${KDE4_KDEUI_LIBS} ${KDE4_KIO_LIBS} ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${KACTIVITIES_LIBRARY} ${kwin_kcm_rules_XCB_LIBS})
 
 install(TARGETS kdeinit_kwin_rules_dialog ${INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS} )
 install(TARGETS kwin_rules_dialog         DESTINATION ${LIBEXEC_INSTALL_DIR} )
@@ -23,7 +28,7 @@ set(kcm_kwinrules_PART_SRCS kcm.cpp ${kwinrules_SRCS})
 
 kde4_add_plugin(kcm_kwinrules ${kcm_kwinrules_PART_SRCS})
 
-target_link_libraries(kcm_kwinrules ${KDE4_KDEUI_LIBS} ${KDE4_KIO_LIBS} ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${KACTIVITIES_LIBRARY})
+target_link_libraries(kcm_kwinrules ${KDE4_KDEUI_LIBS} ${KDE4_KIO_LIBS} ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${KACTIVITIES_LIBRARY} ${kwin_kcm_rules_XCB_LIBS})
 
 install(TARGETS kcm_kwinrules  DESTINATION ${PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR} )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_client_machine.cpp b/tests/test_client_machine.cpp
index 1d4c56f7d6..3802ce4b34 100644
--- a/tests/test_client_machine.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_client_machine.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 namespace KWin {
 
 // mock required function from utils
-QByteArray getStringProperty(WId w, Atom prop, char separator)
+QByteArray getStringProperty(xcb_window_t w, xcb_atom_t prop, char separator)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(separator)
     ScopedCPointer<xcb_get_property_reply_t> property(xcb_get_property_reply(connection(),
diff --git a/utils.cpp b/utils.cpp
index 31e6953fbf..29b73f0f91 100644
--- a/utils.cpp
+++ b/utils.cpp
@@ -120,29 +120,23 @@ void Motif::readFlags(WId w, bool& got_noborder, bool& noborder,
 
 #endif
 
-QByteArray getStringProperty(WId w, Atom prop, char separator)
+QByteArray getStringProperty(xcb_window_t w, xcb_atom_t prop, char separator)
 {
-    Atom type;
-    int format, status;
-    unsigned long nitems = 0;
-    unsigned long extra = 0;
-    unsigned char *data = 0;
-    QByteArray result = "";
-    KXErrorHandler handler; // ignore errors
-    status = XGetWindowProperty(display(), w, prop, 0, 10000,
-    false, XA_STRING, &type, &format,
-    &nitems, &extra, &data);
-    if (status == Success) {
-        if (data && separator) {
-            for (int i = 0; i < (int)nitems; i++)
-                if (!data[i] && i + 1 < (int)nitems)
-                    data[i] = separator;
-        }
-        if (data)
-            result = (const char*) data;
-        XFree(data);
+    const xcb_get_property_cookie_t c = xcb_get_property_unchecked(connection(), false, w, prop,
+                                                                   XCB_ATOM_STRING, 0, 10000);
+    ScopedCPointer<xcb_get_property_reply_t> property(xcb_get_property_reply(connection(), c, NULL));
+    if (property.isNull() || property->type == XCB_ATOM_NONE) {
+        return QByteArray();
     }
-    return result;
+    char *data = static_cast<char*>(xcb_get_property_value(property.data()));
+    if (data && separator) {
+        for (uint32_t i = 0; i < property->value_len; ++i) {
+            if (!data[i] && i + 1 < property->value_len) {
+                data[i] = separator;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return QByteArray(data, property->value_len);
 }
 
 #ifndef KCMRULES
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index 070f319a15..620c2d0f23 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ public:
     ScopedCPointer(T *p = 0) : QScopedPointer<T, QScopedPointerPodDeleter>(p) {}
 };
 
-QByteArray getStringProperty(Window w, Atom prop, char separator = 0);
+QByteArray getStringProperty(xcb_window_t w, xcb_atom_t prop, char separator = 0);
 void updateXTime();
 void grabXServer();
 void ungrabXServer();