diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 4576ad4f..bac1552f 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include "layouts/spiral.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
 
+int blw = 0;
+
 /* static */
 static void initfont(const char *, Display *, DC *);
 static unsigned long initcolor(const char *colstr, Display *, int);
@@ -195,6 +197,9 @@ parse_config(Display * disp, int scr, DC * drawcontext, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
         eprint("error parsing configuration file at line %d: %s\n",
                config_error_line(&jdwmlibconf), config_error_text(&jdwmlibconf));
 
+    /* font */
+    initfont(config_lookup_string(&jdwmlibconf, "jdwm.font"), disp, drawcontext);
+
     /* layouts */
     conflayouts = config_lookup(&jdwmlibconf, "jdwm.layouts");
 
@@ -210,6 +215,10 @@ parse_config(Display * disp, int scr, DC * drawcontext, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
             name_func_lookup(config_setting_get_string_elem(confsublayouts, 1), LayoutsList);
         if(!jdwmconf->layouts[i].arrange)
             eprint("unknown layout in configuration file\n");
+
+        j = textw(jdwmconf->layouts[i].symbol);
+        if(j > blw)
+            blw = j;
     }
 
     jdwmconf->layouts[i].symbol = NULL;
@@ -315,9 +324,6 @@ parse_config(Display * disp, int scr, DC * drawcontext, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
     /* mwfact */
     jdwmconf->mwfact = config_lookup_float(&jdwmlibconf, "jdwm.mwfact");
 
-    /* font */
-    initfont(config_lookup_string(&jdwmlibconf, "jdwm.font"), disp, drawcontext);
-
     /* colors */
     dc.norm[ColBorder] = initcolor(config_lookup_string(&jdwmlibconf, "jdwm.normal_border_color"),
                                    disp, scr);
diff --git a/jdwm.c b/jdwm.c
index 1001cbb9..1bfbbe28 100644
--- a/jdwm.c
+++ b/jdwm.c
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ setup(Display *disp, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
     sx = sy = 0;
     sw = DisplayWidth(disp, screen);
     sh = DisplayHeight(disp, screen);
-    initlayouts(jdwmconf);
     /* bar */
     dc.h = bh = dc.font.height + 2;
     wa.override_redirect = 1;
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 1e1c7f77..207bc8ab 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
-int blw = 0;
-
 /* extern */
 extern int wax, way, wah, waw;  /* windowarea geometry */
 extern Window barwin;
@@ -75,19 +73,6 @@ uicb_focusprev(Display *disp __attribute__ ((unused)),
     }
 }
 
-void
-initlayouts(jdwm_config * jdwmconf)
-{
-    int w, i;
-
-    for(blw = i = 0; i < jdwmconf->nlayouts; i++)
-    {
-        w = textw(jdwmconf->layouts[i].symbol);
-        if(w > blw)
-            blw = w;
-    }
-}
-
 void
 loadjdwmprops(Display *disp, jdwm_config * jdwmconf)
 {
diff --git a/layout.h b/layout.h
index 396e4505..a9565417 100644
--- a/layout.h
+++ b/layout.h
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #define IS_ARRANGE(layout)          (layout == jdwmconf->current_layout->arrange)
 
 void arrange(Display *, jdwm_config *);             /* arranges all windows depending on the layout in use */
-void initlayouts(jdwm_config *);         /* initialize layout array */
 void restack(Display *, jdwm_config *);        /* restores z layers of all clients */
 void uicb_focusnext(Display *, jdwm_config *, const char *);   /* focuses next visible client */
 void uicb_focusprev(Display *, jdwm_config *, const char *);   /* focuses prev visible client */