diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index ee4a273d..92106e41 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -514,22 +514,22 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_END()
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_taglist_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_taglist_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_END()
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_iconbox_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_STR((char *) "image", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_BOOL((char *) "resize", cfg_true, CFGF_NONE),
@@ -537,8 +537,8 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_textbox_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_INT((char *) "width", 0, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_STR((char *) "text", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
@@ -550,8 +550,8 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_focustitle_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_STR((char *) "fg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_STR((char *) "bg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
@@ -561,8 +561,8 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_tasklist_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_STR((char *) "fg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_STR((char *) "bg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
@@ -581,8 +581,8 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_progressbar_opts[] =
     {
-        CFG_INT((char *) "x", -1, CFGF_NONE),
-        CFG_INT((char *) "y", -1, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "x", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "y", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "mouse", mouse_generic_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "bar", widget_progressbar_bar_opts, CFGF_MULTI),
         CFG_INT((char *) "width", 100, CFGF_NONE),
diff --git a/widget.c b/widget.c
index 121c882f..f5697533 100644
--- a/widget.c
+++ b/widget.c
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ widget_common_new(Widget *widget, Statusbar *statusbar, cfg_t* config)
     widget->button_press = widget_common_button_press;
     widget->area.x = cfg_getint(config, "x");
     widget->area.y = cfg_getint(config, "y");
-    widget->user_supplied_x = (widget->area.x >= 0);
-    widget->user_supplied_y = (widget->area.y >= 0);
+    widget->user_supplied_x = (widget->area.x != (int) 0xffffffff);
+    widget->user_supplied_y = (widget->area.y != (int) 0xffffffff);
 }
 
 /** Send command to widget