diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index b847603c..6e0213d5 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -545,10 +545,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     g_main_context_set_poll_func(g_main_context_default(), &a_glib_poll);
     gettimeofday(&last_wakeup, NULL);
 
-    /* Do all deferred work now once outside of the loop to get awesome.startup
-     * right. */
-    awesome_refresh();
-
     /* main event loop */
     globalconf.loop = g_main_loop_new(NULL, FALSE);
     g_main_loop_run(globalconf.loop);
diff --git a/lib/awful/rules.lua.in b/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
index daaf0728..e344828c 100644
--- a/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ local ipairs = ipairs
 local pairs = pairs
 local aclient = require("awful.client")
 local atag = require("awful.tag")
-local timer = require("gears.timer")
 
 --- Apply rules to clients at startup.
 -- awful.rules
@@ -235,10 +234,7 @@ function rules.execute(c, props, callbacks)
     -- Do this at last so we do not erase things done by the focus
     -- signal.
     if props.focus and (type(props.focus) ~= "function" or props.focus(c)) then
-        local cb = function(c)
-            c:emit_signal('request::activate', "rules")
-        end
-        timer.delayed_call(cb, c)
+        c:emit_signal('request::activate',"rules")
     end
 end