diff --git a/.github/workflows/apidoc.yml b/.github/workflows/apidoc.yml
index 50c8c94dc..faddc2a06 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/apidoc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/apidoc.yml
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ jobs:
             libxcb-shape0-dev \
             libxcb-util0-dev \
             libxcb-xfixes0-dev \
+            libxcb-composite0-dev \
+            libxcb-damage0-dev \
             libxcb-xinerama0-dev \
             libxcb-xkb-dev \
             libxcb-xrm-dev \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 228536aca..628d422aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ jobs:
             libxcb-shape0-dev \
             libxcb-util0-dev \
             libxcb-xfixes0-dev \
+            libxcb-composite0-dev \
+            libxcb-damage0-dev \
             libxcb-xinerama0-dev \
             libxcb-xkb-dev \
             libxcb-xrm-dev \
diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 2b17c725f..f5da5d512 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 #include <xcb/xtest.h>
 #include <xcb/shape.h>
 #include <xcb/xfixes.h>
+#include <xcb/composite.h>
+#include <xcb/damage.h>
 
 #include <glib-unix.h>
 
@@ -725,6 +727,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     xcb_prefetch_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_xinerama_id);
     xcb_prefetch_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_shape_id);
     xcb_prefetch_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_xfixes_id);
+    xcb_prefetch_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_composite_id);
+    xcb_prefetch_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_damage_id);
 
     if (xcb_cursor_context_new(globalconf.connection, globalconf.screen, &globalconf.cursor_ctx) < 0)
         fatal("Failed to initialize xcb-cursor");
@@ -793,6 +797,18 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         xcb_discard_reply(globalconf.connection,
                 xcb_xfixes_query_version(globalconf.connection, 1, 0).sequence);
 
+    query = xcb_get_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_composite_id);
+    globalconf.have_composite = query && query->present;
+    if (globalconf.have_composite)
+        xcb_discard_reply(globalconf.connection,
+                xcb_composite_query_version(globalconf.connection, 0, 3).sequence);
+
+    query = xcb_get_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_damage_id);
+    globalconf.have_damage = query && query->present;
+    if (globalconf.have_damage)
+        xcb_discard_reply(globalconf.connection,
+                xcb_damage_query_version(globalconf.connection, 1, 0).sequence);
+
     event_init();
 
     /* Allocate the key symbols */
diff --git a/awesomeConfig.cmake b/awesomeConfig.cmake
index 592c2b252..83928a3d5 100644
--- a/awesomeConfig.cmake
+++ b/awesomeConfig.cmake
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ set(AWESOME_DEPENDENCIES
     xcb-icccm
     xcb-icccm>=0.3.8
     xcb-xfixes
+    xcb-composite
+    xcb-damage
     # NOTE: it's not clear what version is required, but 1.10 works at least.
     # See https://github.com/awesomeWM/awesome/pull/149#issuecomment-94208356.
     xcb-xkb
diff --git a/docs/10-building-and-testing.md b/docs/10-building-and-testing.md
index b68fd4ccb..b0d511044 100644
--- a/docs/10-building-and-testing.md
+++ b/docs/10-building-and-testing.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ environment):
 - [libxcb-keysyms >= 0.3.4](https://xcb.freedesktop.org/)
 - [libxcb-icccm >= 0.3.8](https://xcb.freedesktop.org/)
 - [libxcb-xfixes](https://xcb.freedesktop.org/)
+- [libxcb-composite](https://xcb.freedesktop.org/)
+- [libxcb-damage](https://xcb.freedesktop.org/)
 - [xcb-util-xrm >= 1.0](https://github.com/Airblader/xcb-util-xrm)
 - [libxkbcommon](http://xkbcommon.org/) with X11 support enabled
 - [libstartup-notification >=
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 0e0ac4329..cda05049d 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include <xcb/xcb_event.h>
 #include <xcb/xkb.h>
 #include <xcb/xfixes.h>
+#include <xcb/damage.h>
 
 #define DO_EVENT_HOOK_CALLBACK(type, xcbtype, xcbeventprefix, arraytype, match) \
     static void \
@@ -1023,6 +1024,10 @@ event_handle_selectionclear(xcb_selection_clear_event_t *ev)
         selection_handle_selectionclear(ev);
 }
 
+static void
+event_handle_damage_notify(xcb_damage_notify_event_t *ev) {
+}
+
 /** \brief awesome xerror function.
  * There's no way to check accesses to destroyed windows, thus those cases are
  * ignored (especially on UnmapNotify's).
@@ -1143,6 +1148,7 @@ void event_handle(xcb_generic_event_t *event)
     EXTENSION_EVENT(shape, XCB_SHAPE_NOTIFY, event_handle_shape_notify);
     EXTENSION_EVENT(xkb, 0, event_handle_xkb_notify);
     EXTENSION_EVENT(xfixes, XCB_XFIXES_SELECTION_NOTIFY, event_handle_xfixes_selection_notify);
+    EXTENSION_EVENT(damage, XCB_DAMAGE_NOTIFY, event_handle_damage_notify);
 #undef EXTENSION_EVENT
 }
 
@@ -1165,6 +1171,10 @@ void event_init(void)
     reply = xcb_get_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_xfixes_id);
     if (reply && reply->present)
         globalconf.event_base_xfixes = reply->first_event;
+
+    reply = xcb_get_extension_data(globalconf.connection, &xcb_damage_id);
+    if (reply && reply->present)
+        globalconf.event_base_damage = reply->first_event;
 }
 
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/globalconf.h b/globalconf.h
index 970849bf5..cd4854f75 100644
--- a/globalconf.h
+++ b/globalconf.h
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ typedef struct
     bool have_xkb;
     /** Check for XFixes extension */
     bool have_xfixes;
+    /** Check for Composite extension */
+    bool have_composite;
+    /** Check for Damage extenion */
+    bool have_damage;
     /** Custom searchpaths are present, the runtime is tinted */
     bool have_searchpaths;
     /** When --no-argb is used in the modeline or command line */
@@ -134,6 +138,7 @@ typedef struct
     uint8_t event_base_xkb;
     uint8_t event_base_randr;
     uint8_t event_base_xfixes;
+    uint8_t event_base_damage;
     /** Clients list */
     client_array_t clients;
     /** Embedded windows */