diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index c37a5ccad..cee7f94b5 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     handler[MapRequest] = handle_event_maprequest;
     handler[PropertyNotify] = handle_event_propertynotify;
     handler[UnmapNotify] = handle_event_unmapnotify;
+    handler[ClientMessage] = handle_event_clientmessage;
 
     /* check for shape extension */
     if((globalconf.have_shape = XShapeQueryExtension(dpy, &shape_event, &e_dummy)))
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index d6c013d01..a0ad2e2ea 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -781,6 +781,26 @@ uicb_client_moveresize(int screen, char *arg)
     }
 }
 
+
+void
+client_kill(Client *c)
+{
+    XEvent ev;
+
+    if(isprotodel(c->display, c->win))
+    {
+        ev.type = ClientMessage;
+        ev.xclient.window = c->win;
+        ev.xclient.message_type = XInternAtom(globalconf.display, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
+        ev.xclient.format = 32;
+        ev.xclient.data.l[0] = XInternAtom(globalconf.display, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
+        ev.xclient.data.l[1] = CurrentTime;
+        XSendEvent(globalconf.display, c->win, False, NoEventMask, &ev);
+    }
+    else
+        XKillClient(globalconf.display, c->win);
+}
+
 /** Kill selected client
  * \param screen Screen ID
  * \param arg unused
@@ -789,22 +809,9 @@ uicb_client_moveresize(int screen, char *arg)
 void
 uicb_client_kill(int screen __attribute__ ((unused)), char *arg __attribute__ ((unused)))
 {
-    XEvent ev;
     Client *sel = globalconf.focus->client;
 
-    if(!sel)
-        return;
-    if(isprotodel(sel->display, sel->win))
-    {
-        ev.type = ClientMessage;
-        ev.xclient.window = sel->win;
-        ev.xclient.message_type = XInternAtom(globalconf.display, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
-        ev.xclient.format = 32;
-        ev.xclient.data.l[0] = XInternAtom(globalconf.display, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
-        ev.xclient.data.l[1] = CurrentTime;
-        XSendEvent(globalconf.display, sel->win, False, NoEventMask, &ev);
-    }
-    else
-        XKillClient(globalconf.display, sel->win);
+    if(sel)
+        client_kill(sel);
 }
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index 47449c668..b756859e8 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ void client_updatewmhints(Client *);
 void client_updatesizehints(Client *);
 void client_updatetitle(Client *);
 void client_saveprops(Client *, int); 
+void client_kill(Client *);
 
 UICB_PROTO(uicb_client_kill);
 UICB_PROTO(uicb_client_moveresize);
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 6bc373801..046a09908 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "window.h"
 #include "mouse.h"
+#include "ewmh.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
 
@@ -403,6 +404,12 @@ handle_event_randr_screen_change_notify(XEvent *e)
     XRRUpdateConfiguration(e);
 }
 
+void
+handle_event_clientmessage(XEvent *e)
+{
+    ewmh_process_client_message(&e->xclient);
+}
+
 void
 grabkeys(int phys_screen)
 {
diff --git a/event.h b/event.h
index 9e719d96e..b671d5f0a 100644
--- a/event.h
+++ b/event.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ void handle_event_propertynotify(XEvent *);
 void handle_event_unmapnotify(XEvent *);
 void handle_event_shape(XEvent *);
 void handle_event_randr_screen_change_notify(XEvent *);
+void handle_event_clientmessage(XEvent *);
 
 #endif
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 02380a151..cee7a8784 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ static Atom net_current_desktop;
 static Atom net_desktop_names;
 static Atom net_active_window;
 
+static Atom net_close_window;
+
 static Atom net_wm_name;
 static Atom net_wm_icon;
 
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ static AtomItem AtomNames[] =
     { "_NET_DESKTOP_NAMES", &net_desktop_names },
     { "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW", &net_active_window },
 
+    { "_NET_CLOSE_WINDOW", &net_close_window },
+
     { "_NET_WM_NAME", &net_wm_name },
     { "_NET_WM_ICON", &net_wm_icon },
 
@@ -90,6 +94,8 @@ ewmh_set_supported_hints(int phys_screen)
     atom[i++] = net_current_desktop;
     atom[i++] = net_desktop_names;
     atom[i++] = net_active_window;
+
+    atom[i++] = net_close_window;
     
     atom[i++] = net_wm_name;
     atom[i++] = net_wm_icon;
@@ -184,4 +190,14 @@ ewmh_update_net_active_window(int phys_screen)
                     net_active_window, XA_WINDOW, 32,  PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) &win, 1);
 }
 
+void
+ewmh_process_client_message(XClientMessageEvent *ev)
+{
+    Client *c;
+
+    if(ev->message_type == net_close_window)
+        if((c = get_client_bywin(globalconf.clients, ev->window)))
+           client_kill(c);
+}
+
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/ewmh.h b/ewmh.h
index ae66418e9..d46a5fa18 100644
--- a/ewmh.h
+++ b/ewmh.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #ifndef AWESOME_EWMH_H
 #define AWESOME_EWMH_H
 
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+
 void ewmh_init_atoms(void);
 void ewmh_set_supported_hints(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_client_list(int);
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ void ewmh_update_net_numbers_of_desktop(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_desktop_names(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_active_window(int);
+void ewmh_process_client_message(XClientMessageEvent *);
 
 #endif
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80