diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index e74b8908d..ffcacfc76 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@
 extern awesome_t globalconf;
 
 static xcb_atom_t net_supported;
-static xcb_atom_t net_supporting_wm_check;
 static xcb_atom_t net_client_list;
 static xcb_atom_t net_client_list_stacking;
 static xcb_atom_t net_number_of_desktops;
 static xcb_atom_t net_current_desktop;
 static xcb_atom_t net_desktop_names;
 static xcb_atom_t net_active_window;
+static xcb_atom_t net_workarea;
+static xcb_atom_t net_supporting_wm_check;
 static xcb_atom_t net_close_window;
 static xcb_atom_t net_wm_name;
 static xcb_atom_t net_wm_icon_name;
@@ -71,13 +72,14 @@ typedef struct
 static AtomItem AtomNames[] =
 {
     { "_NET_SUPPORTED", &net_supported },
-    { "_NET_SUPPORTING_WM_CHECK", &net_supporting_wm_check },
     { "_NET_CLIENT_LIST", &net_client_list },
     { "_NET_CLIENT_LIST_STACKING", &net_client_list_stacking },
     { "_NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS", &net_number_of_desktops },
     { "_NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP", &net_current_desktop },
     { "_NET_DESKTOP_NAMES", &net_desktop_names },
     { "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW", &net_active_window },
+    { "_NET_WORKAREA", &net_workarea },
+    { "_NET_SUPPORTING_WM_CHECK", &net_supporting_wm_check },
 
     { "_NET_CLOSE_WINDOW", &net_close_window },
 
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ 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_workarea;
 
     atom[i++] = net_close_window;
 
@@ -182,11 +185,11 @@ ewmh_set_supported_hints(int phys_screen)
 
     xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
                         xscreen->root, net_supporting_wm_check, WINDOW, 32,
-                        1, (void *) &father);
+                        1, &father);
 
     xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
                         father, net_supporting_wm_check, WINDOW, 32,
-                        1, (void *) &father);
+                        1, &father);
 }
 
 void
@@ -290,6 +293,37 @@ ewmh_update_net_desktop_names(int phys_screen)
 			net_desktop_names, utf8_string, 8, len, buf);
 }
 
+/** Update the work area space for each physical screen and each desktop.
+ * \param phys_screen The physical screen id.
+ */
+void
+ewmh_update_workarea(int phys_screen)
+{
+    uint32_t *area;
+    tag_t *tag;
+    int count = 0;
+    area_t geom = screen_area_get(phys_screen,
+                                  globalconf.screens[phys_screen].statusbar,
+                                  &globalconf.screens[phys_screen].padding);
+
+    for(tag = globalconf.screens[phys_screen].tags; tag; tag = tag->next)
+        count++;
+
+    area = p_new(uint32_t, count * 4);
+    for(tag = globalconf.screens[phys_screen].tags, count = 0; tag; tag = tag->next, count++)
+    {
+        area[4 * count + 0] = geom.x;
+        area[4 * count + 1] = geom.y;
+        area[4 * count + 2] = geom.width;
+        area[4 * count + 3] = geom.height;
+    }
+
+    xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
+                        xutil_screen_get(globalconf.connection, phys_screen)->root,
+                        net_workarea, CARDINAL, 32, count, area);
+    p_delete(&area);
+}
+
 void
 ewmh_update_net_active_window(int phys_screen)
 {
diff --git a/ewmh.h b/ewmh.h
index 51b38af5d..38714b1fe 100644
--- a/ewmh.h
+++ b/ewmh.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ void ewmh_update_net_active_window(int);
 int ewmh_process_client_message(xcb_client_message_event_t *);
 void ewmh_update_net_client_list_stacking(int);
 void ewmh_check_client_hints(client_t *);
+void ewmh_update_workarea(int);
 NetWMIcon * ewmh_get_window_icon(xcb_window_t);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index 471d11d1a..781460746 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
 #include <xcb/xcb.h>
 #include <xcb/xcb_aux.h>
 
+#include "ewmh.h"
 #include "config.h"
-#include "common/socket.h"
 #include "structs.h"
 #include "lua.h"
 #include "tag.h"
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@
 #include "window.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "titlebar.h"
+#include "screen.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
+#include "common/socket.h"
 
 extern awesome_t globalconf;
 
@@ -165,6 +167,8 @@ luaA_padding_set(lua_State *L)
         globalconf.screens[screen].padding.bottom = luaA_getopt_number(L, 2, "bottom", 0);
     }
 
+    ewmh_update_workarea(screen_virttophys(screen));
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/statusbar.c b/statusbar.c
index 8650bcc8d..75fb46a86 100644
--- a/statusbar.c
+++ b/statusbar.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "window.h"
+#include "ewmh.h"
 
 extern awesome_t globalconf;
 
@@ -293,6 +294,8 @@ luaA_statusbar_position_set(lua_State *L)
             statusbar_position_update(s, s->position);
     }
 
+    ewmh_update_workarea((*sb)->phys_screen);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -433,6 +436,8 @@ luaA_statusbar_add(lua_State *L)
     for(s = globalconf.screens[screen].statusbar; s; s = s->next)
         statusbar_position_update(s, s->position);
 
+    ewmh_update_workarea((*sb)->phys_screen);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tag.c b/tag.c
index 9ce96173b..ebf12b47f 100644
--- a/tag.c
+++ b/tag.c
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ tag_append_to_screen(tag_t *tag, int screen)
     tag_ref(&tag);
     ewmh_update_net_numbers_of_desktop(phys_screen);
     ewmh_update_net_desktop_names(phys_screen);
+    ewmh_update_workarea(phys_screen);
     widget_invalidate_cache(screen, WIDGET_CACHE_TAGS);
 }