diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 3d6e8cfa6..6cccd7374 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -156,18 +156,7 @@ setup(Display *disp, DC *drawcontext, awesome_config *awesomeconf)
     compileregs(awesomeconf->rules, awesomeconf->nrules);
     /* bar */
     drawcontext->h = awesomeconf->statusbar.height = drawcontext->font.height + 2;
-    wa.override_redirect = 1;
-    wa.background_pixmap = ParentRelative;
-    wa.event_mask = ButtonPressMask | ExposureMask;
-    awesomeconf->statusbar.window = XCreateWindow(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), 0, 0, DisplayWidth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)), awesomeconf->statusbar.height, 0,
-                                               DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)), CopyFromParent,
-                                               DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)),
-                                               CWOverrideRedirect | CWBackPixmap | CWEventMask, &wa);
-    XDefineCursor(disp, awesomeconf->statusbar.window, drawcontext->cursor[CurNormal]);
-    updatebarpos(disp, awesomeconf->statusbar);
-    XMapRaised(disp, awesomeconf->statusbar.window);
-    /* pixmap for everything */
-    awesomeconf->statusbar.drawable = XCreatePixmap(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), DisplayWidth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)), awesomeconf->statusbar.height, DefaultDepth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)));
+    initstatusbar(disp, DefaultScreen(disp), drawcontext, &awesomeconf->statusbar);
     drawcontext->gc = XCreateGC(disp, DefaultRootWindow(disp), 0, 0);
     XSetLineAttributes(disp, drawcontext->gc, 1, LineSolid, CapButt, JoinMiter);
     if(!drawcontext->font.set)
diff --git a/statusbar.c b/statusbar.c
index f5a40fa40..46455265e 100644
--- a/statusbar.c
+++ b/statusbar.c
@@ -88,6 +88,29 @@ drawstatusbar(Display *disp, DC *drawcontext, awesome_config * awesomeconf)
     XSync(disp, False);
 }
 
+void
+initstatusbar(Display *disp, int screen, DC *drawcontext, Statusbar *statusbar)
+{
+    XSetWindowAttributes wa;
+
+    wa.event_mask = SubstructureRedirectMask | SubstructureNotifyMask
+        | EnterWindowMask | LeaveWindowMask | StructureNotifyMask;
+    wa.cursor = drawcontext->cursor[CurNormal];
+    wa.override_redirect = 1;
+    wa.background_pixmap = ParentRelative;
+    wa.event_mask = ButtonPressMask | ExposureMask;
+    statusbar->window = XCreateWindow(disp, RootWindow(disp, screen), 0, 0, DisplayWidth(disp, screen),
+                                      statusbar->height, 0, DefaultDepth(disp, screen), CopyFromParent,
+                                      DefaultVisual(disp, screen), CWOverrideRedirect | CWBackPixmap | CWEventMask, &wa);
+    XDefineCursor(disp, statusbar->window, drawcontext->cursor[CurNormal]);
+    updatebarpos(disp, *statusbar);
+    XMapRaised(disp, statusbar->window);
+    statusbar->drawable = XCreatePixmap(disp,
+                                        RootWindow(disp, screen),
+                                        DisplayWidth(disp, screen),
+                                        statusbar->height,
+                                        DefaultDepth(disp, screen));
+}
 
 void
 updatebarpos(Display *disp, Statusbar statusbar)
diff --git a/statusbar.h b/statusbar.h
index ae41e2a04..4e4060bcd 100644
--- a/statusbar.h
+++ b/statusbar.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
+void initstatusbar(Display *, int, DC *, Statusbar *);
 void drawstatusbar(Display *, DC *, awesome_config *);
 void updatebarpos(Display *, Statusbar);
 void uicb_togglebar(Display *, DC *, awesome_config *, const char *);