diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 1a5d8a80..94e2d89a 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 extern int sx, sy, sw, sh;      /* screen geometry */
 extern int wax, way, wah, waw;  /* windowarea geometry */
 extern Client *clients, *sel, *stack;   /* global client list and stack */
-extern Atom jdwmprops, wmatom[WMLast], netatom[NetLast];
+extern Atom  wmatom[WMLast], netatom[NetLast];
 
 /** Attach client stack to clients stacks
  * \param c the client
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ loadprops(Client * c, int ntags)
 
     prop = p_new(char, ntags + 2);
 
-    if(gettextprop(c->display, c->win, jdwmprops, prop, ntags + 2))
+    if(gettextprop(c->display, c->win, JDWMPROPS_ATOM(c->display), prop, ntags + 2))
     {
         for(i = 0; i < ntags && prop[i]; i++)
             if((c->tags[i] = prop[i] == '1'))
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ saveprops(Client * c, int ntags)
 
     prop[++i] = '\0';
 
-    XChangeProperty(c->display, c->win, jdwmprops, XA_STRING, 8,
+    XChangeProperty(c->display, c->win, JDWMPROPS_ATOM(c->display), XA_STRING, 8,
                     PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) prop, i);
 
     p_delete(&prop);
diff --git a/jdwm.c b/jdwm.c
index c6e90030..7b1891f8 100644
--- a/jdwm.c
+++ b/jdwm.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include "tag.h"
 
 int screen, sx, sy, sw, sh, wax, way, waw, wah;
-Atom jdwmprops, wmatom[WMLast], netatom[NetLast];
+Atom wmatom[WMLast], netatom[NetLast];
 Client *clients = NULL;
 Client *sel = NULL;
 Client *stack = NULL;
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ setup(Display *disp, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
     XSetWindowAttributes wa;
 
     /* init atoms */
-    jdwmprops = XInternAtom(disp, "_JDWM_PROPERTIES", False);
     wmatom[WMProtocols] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
     wmatom[WMDelete] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
     wmatom[WMName] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_NAME", False);
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 2942b7f3..99c40848 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 extern int wax, way, wah, waw;  /* windowarea geometry */
 extern Window barwin;
 extern Client *clients, *sel;   /* global client list */
-extern Atom jdwmprops;
 extern DC dc;
 
 void
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ loadjdwmprops(Display *disp, jdwm_config * jdwmconf)
 
     prop = p_new(char, jdwmconf->ntags + 1);
 
-    if(gettextprop(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), jdwmprops, prop, jdwmconf->ntags + 1))
+    if(gettextprop(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), JDWMPROPS_ATOM(disp), prop, jdwmconf->ntags + 1))
         for(i = 0; i < jdwmconf->ntags && prop[i]; i++)
             jdwmconf->selected_tags[i] = prop[i] == '1';
 
@@ -131,7 +130,9 @@ savejdwmprops(Display *disp, jdwm_config *jdwmconf)
     for(i = 0; i < jdwmconf->ntags; i++)
         prop[i] = jdwmconf->selected_tags[i] ? '1' : '0';
     prop[i] = '\0';
-    XChangeProperty(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), jdwmprops, XA_STRING, 8, PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) prop, i);
+    XChangeProperty(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp),
+                    JDWMPROPS_ATOM(disp), XA_STRING, 8,
+                    PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) prop, i);
     p_delete(&prop);
 }
 
diff --git a/layout.h b/layout.h
index a9565417..7a8b9f89 100644
--- a/layout.h
+++ b/layout.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 /** Check if current layout is arranged with a layout */
 #define IS_ARRANGE(layout)          (layout == jdwmconf->current_layout->arrange)
 
+#define JDWMPROPS_ATOM(disp)                    XInternAtom(disp, "_JDWM_PROPERTIES", False)
+
 void arrange(Display *, jdwm_config *);             /* arranges all windows depending on the layout in use */
 void restack(Display *, jdwm_config *);        /* restores z layers of all clients */
 void uicb_focusnext(Display *, jdwm_config *, const char *);   /* focuses next visible client */