diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 44c55c15..4bba4311 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -467,9 +467,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         systray_init(screen_nbr);
     }
 
-    /* call this to at least grab root window clicks */
-    window_root_grabbuttons();
-
     /* scan existing windows */
     scan();
 
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 1d8cc409..13694041 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -250,9 +250,6 @@ client_focus(client_t *c, int screen)
         focus_client_push(c);
         xcb_set_input_focus(globalconf.connection, XCB_INPUT_FOCUS_POINTER_ROOT,
                             c->win, XCB_CURRENT_TIME);
-        /* since we're dropping EnterWindow events and sometimes the window
-         * will appear under the mouse, grabbuttons */
-        window_grabbuttons(c->win, c->phys_screen, c->buttons);
         phys_screen = c->phys_screen;
 
         /* Some layouts use focused client differently, so call them back. */
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 4889a870..cb1d2f08 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ event_handle_enternotify(void *data __attribute__ ((unused)),
                           xcb_aux_get_screen(connection, emwin->phys_screen)->root,
                           ANY_MODIFIER);
     else
-        window_root_grabbuttons();
+        window_root_grabbuttons(ev->root);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 84da94cb..8d10b23e 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -65,8 +65,10 @@ arrange(int screen)
     /* check that the mouse is on a window or not */
     if((qp_r = xcb_query_pointer_reply(globalconf.connection, qp_c, NULL)))
     {
-        if(qp_r->root == XCB_NONE || qp_r->child == XCB_NONE || qp_r->root == qp_r->child)
-            window_root_grabbuttons();
+        if(qp_r->child == XCB_NONE || qp_r->root == qp_r->child)
+            window_root_grabbuttons(qp_r->root);
+        else if ((c = client_getbywin(qp_r->child)))
+            window_grabbuttons(c->win, qp_r->root, c->buttons);
 
         globalconf.pointer_x = qp_r->root_x;
         globalconf.pointer_y = qp_r->root_y;
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index ff351d48..471d11d1 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -82,8 +82,6 @@ luaA_mouse_add(lua_State *L)
     button_list_push(&globalconf.buttons.root, *button);
     button_ref(button);
 
-    window_root_grabbutton(*button);
-
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index b8a94fea..49bc6a32 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ window_configure(xcb_window_t win, area_t geometry, int border)
 
 /** Grab or ungrab buttons on a window.
  * \param win The window.
- * \param phys_screen Physical screen number.
+ * \param root The root window.
  * \param buttons The buttons to grab.
  */
 void
-window_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t win, int phys_screen, button_t *buttons)
+window_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t win, xcb_window_t root, button_t *buttons)
 {
     button_t *b;
 
@@ -131,70 +131,32 @@ window_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t win, int phys_screen, button_t *buttons)
                         b->button, b->mod | globalconf.numlockmask | XCB_MOD_MASK_LOCK);
     }
 
-    xcb_ungrab_button(globalconf.connection, XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_ANY,
-                      xcb_aux_get_screen(globalconf.connection, phys_screen)->root,
-                      ANY_MODIFIER);
+    xcb_ungrab_button(globalconf.connection, XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_ANY, root, ANY_MODIFIER);
 }
 
 /** Grab all buttons on the root window.
+ * \param root The root window.
  */
 void
-window_root_grabbuttons(void)
+window_root_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t root)
 {
     button_t *b;
-    xcb_screen_t *s;
-    int phys_screen = globalconf.default_screen;
 
-    do
+    for(b = globalconf.buttons.root; b; b = b->next)
     {
-        s = xcb_aux_get_screen(globalconf.connection, phys_screen);
-        for(b = globalconf.buttons.root; b; b = b->next)
-        {
-            xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
-                            XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
-                            b->button, b->mod);
-            xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
-                            XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
-                            b->button, b->mod | XCB_MOD_MASK_LOCK);
-            xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
-                            XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
-                            b->button, b->mod | globalconf.numlockmask);
-            xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
-                            XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
-                            b->button, b->mod | globalconf.numlockmask | XCB_MOD_MASK_LOCK);
-        }
-        phys_screen++;
-    } while(!globalconf.screens_info->xinerama_is_active
-            && phys_screen < globalconf.screens_info->nscreen);
-}
-
-/** Grab button on the root window.
- * \param b The button binding.
- */
-void
-window_root_grabbutton(button_t *b)
-{
-    xcb_screen_t *s;
-    int phys_screen = globalconf.default_screen;
-
-    do
-    {
-        s = xcb_aux_get_screen(globalconf.connection, phys_screen);
-        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
+        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, root, BUTTONMASK,
                         XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
                         b->button, b->mod);
-        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
+        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, root, BUTTONMASK,
                         XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
                         b->button, b->mod | XCB_MOD_MASK_LOCK);
-        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
+        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, root, BUTTONMASK,
                         XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
                         b->button, b->mod | globalconf.numlockmask);
-        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, s->root, BUTTONMASK,
+        xcb_grab_button(globalconf.connection, false, root, BUTTONMASK,
                         XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC, XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC, XCB_NONE, XCB_NONE,
                         b->button, b->mod | globalconf.numlockmask | XCB_MOD_MASK_LOCK);
-        phys_screen++;
-    } while(!globalconf.screens_info->xinerama_is_active
-            && phys_screen < globalconf.screens_info->nscreen);
+    }
 }
 
 /** Grab key on the root windows.
@@ -206,7 +168,7 @@ window_root_grabkey(keybinding_t *k)
     int phys_screen = globalconf.default_screen;
     xcb_screen_t *s;
     xcb_keycode_t kc;
-    
+
     if((kc = k->keycode)
        || (k->keysym && (kc = xcb_key_symbols_get_keycode(globalconf.keysyms, k->keysym))))
         do
@@ -235,7 +197,7 @@ window_root_ungrabkey(keybinding_t *k)
     int phys_screen = globalconf.default_screen;
     xcb_screen_t *s;
     xcb_keycode_t kc;
-    
+
     if((kc = k->keycode)
        || (k->keysym && (kc = xcb_key_symbols_get_keycode(globalconf.keysyms, k->keysym))))
         do
diff --git a/window.h b/window.h
index 3d83b969..0b770d94 100644
--- a/window.h
+++ b/window.h
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@
 void window_setstate(xcb_window_t, long);
 long window_getstate(xcb_window_t);
 void window_configure(xcb_window_t, area_t, int);
-void window_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t, int, button_t *);
-void window_root_grabbutton(button_t *);
-void window_root_grabbuttons(void);
+void window_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t, xcb_window_t, button_t *);
+void window_root_grabbuttons(xcb_window_t);
 void window_root_grabkey(keybinding_t *);
 void window_root_ungrabkey(keybinding_t *);
 void window_setshape(xcb_window_t, int);