diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 2b17c725f..1ae586236 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -693,21 +693,23 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if(xcb_connection_has_error(globalconf.connection))
         fatal("cannot open display (error %d)", xcb_connection_has_error(globalconf.connection));
 
+    if (!(default_init_flags & INIT_FLAG_ARGB))
+        globalconf.argb_mode = ARGB_MODE_DISABLED;
+    else if (default_init_flags & INIT_FLAG_FULL_ARGB)
+        globalconf.argb_mode = ARGB_MODE_FULL;
+    else
+        globalconf.argb_mode = ARGB_MODE_ENABLED;
     globalconf.screen = xcb_aux_get_screen(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_screen);
-    globalconf.default_visual = draw_default_visual(globalconf.screen);
-    if(default_init_flags & INIT_FLAG_ARGB)
-        globalconf.visual = draw_argb_visual(globalconf.screen);
-    if(!globalconf.visual)
-        globalconf.visual = globalconf.default_visual;
-    globalconf.default_depth = draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.visual->visual_id);
-    globalconf.default_cmap = globalconf.screen->default_colormap;
-    if(globalconf.default_depth != globalconf.screen->root_depth)
+    globalconf.screen_visual = draw_default_visual(globalconf.screen);
+    globalconf.screen_depth = draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.screen_visual->visual_id);
+    globalconf.screen_cmap = globalconf.screen->default_colormap;
+    if (globalconf.argb_mode != ARGB_MODE_DISABLED)
     {
-        // We need our own color map if we aren't using the default depth
-        globalconf.default_cmap = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
+        globalconf.argb_visual = draw_argb_visual(globalconf.screen);
+        globalconf.argb_cmap = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
         xcb_create_colormap(globalconf.connection, XCB_COLORMAP_ALLOC_NONE,
-                globalconf.default_cmap, globalconf.screen->root,
-                globalconf.visual->visual_id);
+                globalconf.argb_cmap, globalconf.screen->root,
+                globalconf.argb_visual->visual_id);
     }
 
 #ifdef WITH_XCB_ERRORS
@@ -815,10 +817,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
      * The window_no_focus is used for "nothing has the input focus". */
     globalconf.focus.window_no_focus = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
     globalconf.gc = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth,
+    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.screen_depth,
                       globalconf.focus.window_no_focus, globalconf.screen->root,
                       -1, -1, 1, 1, 0,
-                      XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.visual->visual_id,
+                      XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.screen_visual->visual_id,
                       XCB_CW_BACK_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL |
                       XCB_CW_OVERRIDE_REDIRECT | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
                       (const uint32_t [])
@@ -826,7 +828,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
                           globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
                           globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
                           1,
-                          globalconf.default_cmap
+                          globalconf.screen_cmap
                       });
     xwindow_set_class_instance(globalconf.focus.window_no_focus);
     xwindow_set_name_static(globalconf.focus.window_no_focus, "Awesome no input window");
diff --git a/color.c b/color.c
index 53e7f1a7f..8f6ae81b7 100644
--- a/color.c
+++ b/color.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ color_init_unchecked(color_t *color, const char *colstr, ssize_t len, xcb_visual
         return req;
     }
     req.cookie_hexa = xcb_alloc_color_unchecked(globalconf.connection,
-                                                globalconf.default_cmap,
+                                                globalconf.screen_cmap,
                                                 RGB_8TO16(red),
                                                 RGB_8TO16(green),
                                                 RGB_8TO16(blue));
diff --git a/draw.c b/draw.c
index 83d3d3559..3b16d715d 100644
--- a/draw.c
+++ b/draw.c
@@ -242,10 +242,10 @@ uint8_t draw_visual_depth(const xcb_screen_t *s, xcb_visualid_t vis)
 void draw_test_cairo_xcb(void)
 {
     xcb_pixmap_t pixmap = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-    xcb_create_pixmap(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth, pixmap,
+    xcb_create_pixmap(globalconf.connection, globalconf.screen_depth, pixmap,
                       globalconf.screen->root, 1, 1);
     cairo_surface_t *surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection,
-                                          pixmap, globalconf.visual, 1, 1);
+                                          pixmap, globalconf.screen_visual, 1, 1);
     if(cairo_surface_status(surface) != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS)
         fatal("Could not set up display: got cairo surface with status %s",
                 cairo_status_to_string(cairo_surface_status(surface)));
diff --git a/globalconf.h b/globalconf.h
index 970849bf5..cdd787971 100644
--- a/globalconf.h
+++ b/globalconf.h
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ ARRAY_TYPE(xproperty_t, xproperty)
 DO_ARRAY(sequence_pair_t, sequence_pair, DO_NOTHING)
 DO_ARRAY(xcb_window_t, window, DO_NOTHING)
 
+enum argb_mode {
+    /** No window will be created with an ARGB visual */
+    ARGB_MODE_DISABLED = 0,
+    /** Client window with an ARGB visual will be reparented an ARGB window */
+    ARGB_MODE_ENABLED,
+    /** All windows will be created with an ARGB visual */
+    ARGB_MODE_FULL
+};
+
 /** Main configuration structure */
 typedef struct
 {
@@ -185,20 +194,24 @@ typedef struct
     } systray;
     /** The monitor of startup notifications */
     SnMonitorContext *snmonitor;
-    /** The visual, used to draw */
-    xcb_visualtype_t *visual;
     /** The screen's default visual */
-    xcb_visualtype_t *default_visual;
+    xcb_visualtype_t *screen_visual;
+    /** An ARGB visual */
+    xcb_visualtype_t *argb_visual;
     /** The screen's information */
     xcb_screen_t *screen;
     /** A graphic context. */
     xcb_gcontext_t gc;
-    /** Our default depth */
-    uint8_t default_depth;
-    /** Our default color map */
-    xcb_colormap_t default_cmap;
+    /** The screen's depth */
+    uint8_t screen_depth;
+    /** The screen's default color map */
+    xcb_colormap_t screen_cmap;
+    /** ARGB color map */
+    xcb_colormap_t argb_cmap;
     /** Do we have to reban clients? */
     bool need_lazy_banning;
+    /** Should we use ARGB visual for all windows? */
+    enum argb_mode argb_mode;
     /** Tag list */
     tag_array_t tags;
     /** List of registered xproperties */
diff --git a/objects/client.c b/objects/client.c
index 6946dbc63..0e8bda088 100644
--- a/objects/client.c
+++ b/objects/client.c
@@ -1891,8 +1891,8 @@ client_get_nofocus_window(client_t *c)
 {
     if (c->nofocus_window == XCB_NONE) {
         c->nofocus_window = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-        xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth, c->nofocus_window, c->frame_window,
-                          -2, -2, 1, 1, 0, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.visual->visual_id,
+        xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.screen_depth, c->nofocus_window, c->frame_window,
+                          -2, -2, 1, 1, 0, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.screen_visual->visual_id,
                           0, NULL);
         xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, c->nofocus_window);
         xwindow_grabkeys(c->nofocus_window, &c->keys);
@@ -2137,17 +2137,26 @@ client_manage(xcb_window_t w, xcb_get_geometry_reply_t *wgeom, xcb_get_window_at
 
     client_t *c = client_new(L);
     xcb_screen_t *s = globalconf.screen;
+    uint8_t depth = globalconf.screen_depth, window_depth = draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, wattr->visual);
+    xcb_colormap_t cmap = globalconf.screen_cmap;
     c->border_width_callback = (void (*) (void *, uint16_t, uint16_t)) border_width_callback;
 
     /* consider the window banned */
     c->isbanned = true;
     /* Store window and visual */
     c->window = w;
-    c->visualtype = draw_find_visual(globalconf.screen, wattr->visual);
+    c->client_visualtype = draw_find_visual(globalconf.screen, wattr->visual);
     c->frame_window = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth, c->frame_window, s->root,
+    c->visualtype = globalconf.screen_visual;
+    if ((globalconf.argb_mode == ARGB_MODE_FULL || window_depth == 32) && globalconf.argb_mode != ARGB_MODE_DISABLED)
+    {
+        c->visualtype = globalconf.argb_visual;
+        depth = 32;
+        cmap = globalconf.argb_cmap;
+    }
+    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, depth, c->frame_window, s->root,
                       wgeom->x, wgeom->y, wgeom->width, wgeom->height,
-                      wgeom->border_width, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.visual->visual_id,
+                      wgeom->border_width, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, c->visualtype->visual_id,
                       XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BIT_GRAVITY | XCB_CW_WIN_GRAVITY
                       | XCB_CW_OVERRIDE_REDIRECT | XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
                       (const uint32_t [])
@@ -2157,7 +2166,7 @@ client_manage(xcb_window_t w, xcb_get_geometry_reply_t *wgeom, xcb_get_window_at
                           XCB_GRAVITY_NORTH_WEST,
                           1,
                           FRAME_SELECT_INPUT_EVENT_MASK,
-                          globalconf.default_cmap
+                          cmap
                       });
 
     /* The client may already be mapped, thus we must be sure that we don't send
@@ -3195,7 +3204,7 @@ client_set_icon_from_pixmaps(client_t *c, xcb_pixmap_t icon, xcb_pixmap_t mask)
         s_icon = cairo_xcb_surface_create_for_bitmap(globalconf.connection,
                 globalconf.screen, icon, geom_icon_r->width, geom_icon_r->height);
     else
-        s_icon = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection, icon, globalconf.default_visual,
+        s_icon = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection, icon, globalconf.screen_visual,
                 geom_icon_r->width, geom_icon_r->height);
     result = s_icon;
 
@@ -3568,21 +3577,28 @@ client_refresh_partial(client_t *c, int16_t x, int16_t y, uint16_t width, uint16
 static drawable_t *
 titlebar_get_drawable(lua_State *L, client_t *c, int cl_idx, client_titlebar_t bar)
 {
+    uint8_t depth = globalconf.screen_depth;
+    xcb_visualtype_t *visual = globalconf.screen_visual;
+    if (globalconf.argb_mode == ARGB_MODE_FULL)
+    {
+        visual = globalconf.argb_visual;
+        depth = 32;
+    }
     if (c->titlebar[bar].drawable == NULL)
     {
         cl_idx = luaA_absindex(L, cl_idx);
         switch (bar) {
         case CLIENT_TITLEBAR_TOP:
-            drawable_allocator(L, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_top, c);
+            drawable_allocator(L, depth, visual, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_top, c);
             break;
         case CLIENT_TITLEBAR_BOTTOM:
-            drawable_allocator(L, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_bottom, c);
+            drawable_allocator(L, depth, visual, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_bottom, c);
             break;
         case CLIENT_TITLEBAR_RIGHT:
-            drawable_allocator(L, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_right, c);
+            drawable_allocator(L, depth, visual, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_right, c);
             break;
         case CLIENT_TITLEBAR_LEFT:
-            drawable_allocator(L, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_left, c);
+            drawable_allocator(L, depth, visual, (drawable_refresh_callback *) client_refresh_titlebar_left, c);
             break;
         default:
             fatal("Unknown titlebar kind %d\n", (int) bar);
@@ -4022,7 +4038,7 @@ luaA_client_get_content(lua_State *L, client_t *c)
     height -= c->titlebar[CLIENT_TITLEBAR_TOP].size + c->titlebar[CLIENT_TITLEBAR_BOTTOM].size;
 
     surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection, c->window,
-                                       c->visualtype, width, height);
+                                       c->client_visualtype, width, height);
 
     /* lua has to make sure to free the ref or we have a leak */
     lua_pushlightuserdata(L, surface);
diff --git a/objects/client.h b/objects/client.h
index 70b05d195..2139f6cf0 100644
--- a/objects/client.h
+++ b/objects/client.h
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ struct client_t
     /** Size hints */
     xcb_size_hints_t size_hints;
     /** The visualtype that c->window uses */
-    xcb_visualtype_t *visualtype;
+    xcb_visualtype_t *client_visualtype;
     /** Do we honor the client's size hints? */
     bool size_hints_honor;
     /** Machine the client is running on. */
diff --git a/objects/drawable.c b/objects/drawable.c
index 0db78ca6a..a01df1e31 100644
--- a/objects/drawable.c
+++ b/objects/drawable.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ static lua_class_t drawable_class;
 LUA_OBJECT_FUNCS(drawable_class, drawable_t, drawable)
 
 drawable_t *
-drawable_allocator(lua_State *L, drawable_refresh_callback *callback, void *data)
+drawable_allocator(lua_State *L, uint8_t depth, xcb_visualtype_t *visual, drawable_refresh_callback *callback, void *data)
 {
     drawable_t *d = drawable_new(L);
     d->refresh_callback = callback;
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ drawable_allocator(lua_State *L, drawable_refresh_callback *callback, void *data
     d->refreshed = false;
     d->surface = NULL;
     d->pixmap = XCB_NONE;
+    d->depth = depth;
+    d->visual = visual;
     return d;
 }
 
@@ -147,10 +149,10 @@ drawable_set_geometry(lua_State *L, int didx, area_t geom)
     if (area_changed && geom.width > 0 && geom.height > 0)
     {
         d->pixmap = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-        xcb_create_pixmap(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth, d->pixmap,
+        xcb_create_pixmap(globalconf.connection, d->depth, d->pixmap,
                           globalconf.screen->root, geom.width, geom.height);
         d->surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection,
-                                              d->pixmap, globalconf.visual,
+                                              d->pixmap, d->visual,
                                               geom.width, geom.height);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, didx, "property::surface", 0);
     }
diff --git a/objects/drawable.h b/objects/drawable.h
index 86bd0b696..f9bc51331 100644
--- a/objects/drawable.h
+++ b/objects/drawable.h
@@ -44,10 +44,14 @@ struct drawable_t
     drawable_refresh_callback *refresh_callback;
     /** Data for refresh callback. */
     void *refresh_data;
+    /** Drawable depth */
+    uint8_t depth;
+    /** Drawable visual */
+    xcb_visualtype_t *visual;
 };
 typedef struct drawable_t drawable_t;
 
-drawable_t *drawable_allocator(lua_State *, drawable_refresh_callback *, void *);
+drawable_t *drawable_allocator(lua_State *, uint8_t depth, xcb_visualtype_t *visual, drawable_refresh_callback *, void *);
 void drawable_set_geometry(lua_State *, int, area_t);
 void drawable_class_setup(lua_State *);
 
diff --git a/objects/drawin.c b/objects/drawin.c
index 3bbd93179..2ca61c839 100644
--- a/objects/drawin.c
+++ b/objects/drawin.c
@@ -416,6 +416,15 @@ drawin_allocator(lua_State *L)
 {
     xcb_screen_t *s = globalconf.screen;
     drawin_t *w = drawin_new(L);
+    uint8_t depth = globalconf.screen_depth;
+    xcb_visualtype_t *visual = globalconf.screen_visual;
+    xcb_colormap_t cmap = globalconf.screen_cmap;
+    if (globalconf.argb_mode == ARGB_MODE_FULL)
+    {
+        visual = globalconf.argb_visual;
+        cmap = globalconf.argb_cmap;
+        depth = 32;
+    }
 
     w->visible = false;
 
@@ -425,15 +434,16 @@ drawin_allocator(lua_State *L)
     w->geometry.height = 1;
     w->geometry_dirty = false;
     w->type = _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_NORMAL;
+    w->visualtype = visual;
 
-    drawable_allocator(L, (drawable_refresh_callback *) drawin_refresh_pixmap, w);
+    drawable_allocator(L, depth, visual, (drawable_refresh_callback *) drawin_refresh_pixmap, w);
     w->drawable = luaA_object_ref_item(L, -2, -1);
 
     w->window = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
-    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth, w->window, s->root,
+    xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, depth, w->window, s->root,
                       w->geometry.x, w->geometry.y,
                       w->geometry.width, w->geometry.height,
-                      w->border_width, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.visual->visual_id,
+                      w->border_width, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, visual->visual_id,
                       XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BIT_GRAVITY
                       | XCB_CW_OVERRIDE_REDIRECT | XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK | XCB_CW_COLORMAP
                       | XCB_CW_CURSOR,
@@ -448,7 +458,7 @@ drawin_allocator(lua_State *L)
                           | XCB_EVENT_MASK_POINTER_MOTION | XCB_EVENT_MASK_BUTTON_PRESS
                           | XCB_EVENT_MASK_BUTTON_RELEASE | XCB_EVENT_MASK_EXPOSURE
                           | XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE,
-                          globalconf.default_cmap,
+                          cmap,
                           xcursor_new(globalconf.cursor_ctx, xcursor_font_fromstr(w->cursor))
                       });
     xwindow_set_class_instance(w->window);
diff --git a/objects/window.c b/objects/window.c
index 371d06bcd..965916aba 100644
--- a/objects/window.c
+++ b/objects/window.c
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ luaA_window_set_border_color(lua_State *L, window_t *window)
     const char *color_name = luaL_checklstring(L, -1, &len);
 
     if(color_name &&
-       color_init_reply(color_init_unchecked(&window->border_color, color_name, len, globalconf.visual)))
+       color_init_reply(color_init_unchecked(&window->border_color, color_name, len, window->visualtype)))
     {
         window->border_need_update = true;
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, -3, "property::border_color", 0);
diff --git a/objects/window.h b/objects/window.h
index fbc5296cf..0e59d3da3 100644
--- a/objects/window.h
+++ b/objects/window.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ typedef enum
     color_t border_color; \
     /** Border width */ \
     uint16_t border_width; \
+    /** The visual type */ \
+    xcb_visualtype_t *visualtype; \
     /** The window type */ \
     window_type_t type; \
     /** The border width callback */ \
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index 3ef88b563..f10468265 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ options_check_args(int argc, char **argv, int *init_flags, string_array_t *paths
         { "screen"    , ARG   , NULL, 'm'  },
         { "api-level" , ARG   , NULL, 'l'  },
         { "reap"      , ARG   , NULL, '\1' },
+        { "full-argb" , NO_ARG, NULL, 'A'  },
         { NULL        , NO_ARG, NULL, 0    }
     };
 
@@ -467,6 +468,9 @@ options_check_args(int argc, char **argv, int *init_flags, string_array_t *paths
             globalconf.had_overriden_depth = true;
             (*init_flags) &= ~INIT_FLAG_ARGB;
             break;
+          case 'A':
+            (*init_flags) |= INIT_FLAG_FULL_ARGB | INIT_FLAG_ARGB;
+            break;
           case 'r':
             (*init_flags) |= INIT_FLAG_REPLACE_WM;
             break;
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 97e66e8c8..ee1372cdb 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ typedef enum {
     INIT_FLAG_AUTO_SCREEN    = 0x1 << 3,
     INIT_FLAG_ALLOW_FALLBACK = 0x1 << 4,
     INIT_FLAG_FORCE_CMD_ARGS = 0x1 << 5,
+    INIT_FLAG_FULL_ARGB      = 0x1 << 6,
 } awesome_init_config_t;
 
 char *options_detect_shebang(int argc, char **argv);
diff --git a/root.c b/root.c
index ef6aa2684..dcb4706c5 100644
--- a/root.c
+++ b/root.c
@@ -193,13 +193,13 @@ root_update_wallpaper(void)
     }
 
     /* Only the default visual makes sense, so just the default depth */
-    if (geom_r->depth != draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.default_visual->visual_id))
+    if (geom_r->depth != draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.screen_visual->visual_id))
         warn("Got a pixmap with depth %d, but the default depth is %d, continuing anyway",
-                geom_r->depth, draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.default_visual->visual_id));
+                geom_r->depth, draw_visual_depth(globalconf.screen, globalconf.screen_visual->visual_id));
 
     globalconf.wallpaper = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection,
                                                     *rootpix,
-                                                    globalconf.default_visual,
+                                                    globalconf.screen_visual,
                                                     geom_r->width,
                                                     geom_r->height);
 
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ luaA_root_get_content(lua_State *L)
 
     surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(globalconf.connection,
                                        globalconf.screen->root,
-                                       globalconf.default_visual,
+                                       globalconf.screen_visual,
                                        globalconf.screen->width_in_pixels,
                                        globalconf.screen->height_in_pixels);
 
diff --git a/systray.c b/systray.c
index 99986549a..916bdf3f4 100644
--- a/systray.c
+++ b/systray.c
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ luaA_systray(lua_State *L)
         color_t bg_color;
         bool force_redraw = false;
 
-        if(color_init_reply(color_init_unchecked(&bg_color, bg, bg_len, globalconf.default_visual))
+        if(color_init_reply(color_init_unchecked(&bg_color, bg, bg_len, globalconf.screen_visual))
                 && globalconf.systray.background_pixel != bg_color.pixel)
         {
             uint32_t config_back[] = { bg_color.pixel };