diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index a4be417f4..35747f90f 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -303,8 +303,7 @@ int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     char *confpath = NULL;
-    int xfd, i, opt, colors_nbr;
-    xcolor_init_request_t colors_reqs[2];
+    int xfd, i, opt;
     ssize_t cmdlen = 1;
     xdgHandle xdg;
     bool no_argb = false;
@@ -484,18 +483,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     /* init screens information */
     screen_scan();
 
-    /* init default font and colors */
-    colors_reqs[0] = xcolor_init_unchecked(&globalconf.colors.fg,
-                                           "#000000", sizeof("#000000") - 1);
-
-    colors_reqs[1] = xcolor_init_unchecked(&globalconf.colors.bg,
-                                           "#ffffff", sizeof("#ffffff") - 1);
-
+    /* init default font */
     globalconf.font = font_new("sans 8");
 
-    for(colors_nbr = 0; colors_nbr < 2; colors_nbr++)
-        xcolor_init_reply(colors_reqs[colors_nbr]);
-
     xutil_lock_mask_get(globalconf.connection, xmapping_cookie,
                         globalconf.keysyms, &globalconf.numlockmask,
                         &globalconf.shiftlockmask, &globalconf.capslockmask,
@@ -519,8 +509,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
                       XCB_CW_BACK_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
                       (const uint32_t [])
                       {
-                          globalconf.colors.bg.pixel,
-                          globalconf.colors.bg.pixel,
+                          globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
+                          globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
                           globalconf.default_cmap
                       });
     xcb_create_gc(globalconf.connection, globalconf.gc, tmp_win, XCB_GC_FOREGROUND | XCB_GC_BACKGROUND,
diff --git a/globalconf.h b/globalconf.h
index 61713b4e7..0e7522c9e 100644
--- a/globalconf.h
+++ b/globalconf.h
@@ -75,11 +75,6 @@ typedef struct
     client_array_t stack;
     /** Lua VM state */
     lua_State *L;
-    /** Default colors */
-    struct
-    {
-        xcolor_t fg, bg;
-    } colors;
     /** Default font */
     font_t *font;
     /** The event loop */
diff --git a/luaa.c b/luaa.c
index edfd31523..0a3d182a7 100644
--- a/luaa.c
+++ b/luaa.c
@@ -400,10 +400,6 @@ luaA_awesome_index(lua_State *L)
         lua_pushnumber(L, globalconf.font->height);
     else if(a_strcmp(buf, "conffile") == 0)
         lua_pushstring(L, conffile);
-    else if(a_strcmp(buf, "fg") == 0)
-        luaA_pushxcolor(L, globalconf.colors.fg);
-    else if(a_strcmp(buf, "bg") == 0)
-        luaA_pushxcolor(L, globalconf.colors.bg);
     else if(a_strcmp(buf, "version") == 0)
         lua_pushliteral(L, AWESOME_VERSION);
     else if(a_strcmp(buf, "release") == 0)
@@ -432,18 +428,6 @@ luaA_awesome_newindex(lua_State *L)
         font_delete(&globalconf.font);
         globalconf.font = font_new(newfont);
     }
-    else if(a_strcmp(buf, "fg") == 0)
-    {
-        size_t len;
-        if((buf = luaL_checklstring(L, 3, &len)))
-           xcolor_init_reply(xcolor_init_unchecked(&globalconf.colors.fg, buf, len));
-    }
-    else if(a_strcmp(buf, "bg") == 0)
-    {
-        size_t len;
-        if((buf = luaL_checklstring(L, 3, &len)))
-           xcolor_init_reply(xcolor_init_unchecked(&globalconf.colors.bg, buf, len));
-    }
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/objects/client.c b/objects/client.c
index 3b69b5212..1dbbf8fc8 100644
--- a/objects/client.c
+++ b/objects/client.c
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@ client_manage(xcb_window_t w, xcb_get_geometry_reply_t *wgeom, bool startup)
                       | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
                       (const uint32_t [])
                       {
-                          globalconf.colors.bg.pixel,
-                          globalconf.colors.bg.pixel,
+                          globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
+                          globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
                           XCB_GRAVITY_NORTH_WEST,
                           XCB_GRAVITY_NORTH_WEST,
                           1,