diff --git a/build-utils/widgetgen.sh b/build-utils/widgetgen.sh
index b317d8978..037d3dbda 100755
--- a/build-utils/widgetgen.sh
+++ b/build-utils/widgetgen.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ do
     echo "    /* $file */"
     grep '^widget_constructor_t ' "$file" | cut -d' ' -f2 | cut -d\; -f1 | while read widget
     do
-        shortname=`echo $widget | cut -d_ -f1`
+        shortname=`echo $widget | cut -d_ -f2`
         echo "    {\"$shortname\", $widget},"
     done
 done
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index e28d8ac86..c29b9fdd8 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ event_handle_destroynotify(void *data __attribute__ ((unused)),
     {
         xembed_window_list_detach(&globalconf.embedded, emwin);
         for(int i = 0; i < globalconf.nscreen; i++)
-            widget_invalidate_bytype(i, systray_new);
+            widget_invalidate_bytype(i, widget_systray);
     }
 
     return 0;
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ event_handle_unmapnotify(void *data __attribute__ ((unused)),
     {
         xembed_window_list_detach(&globalconf.embedded, em);
         for(int i = 0; i < globalconf.nscreen; i++)
-            widget_invalidate_bytype(i, systray_new);
+            widget_invalidate_bytype(i, widget_systray);
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/structs.h b/structs.h
index 62b8618d3..5c986fcdb 100644
--- a/structs.h
+++ b/structs.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ typedef struct client_t client_t;
 typedef struct client_node client_node_t;
 typedef struct tag tag_t;
 typedef struct tag_client_node_t tag_client_node_t;
-typedef widget_t *(widget_constructor_t)(alignment_t);
+typedef widget_t *(widget_constructor_t)(widget_t *);
 typedef void (widget_destructor_t)(widget_t *);
 typedef struct awesome_t awesome_t;
 
diff --git a/systray.c b/systray.c
index fb05f1332..f957e4977 100644
--- a/systray.c
+++ b/systray.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ systray_request_handle(xcb_window_t embed_win, int phys_screen, xembed_info_t *i
                            MIN(XEMBED_VERSION, em->info.version));
 
     for(i = 0; i < globalconf.nscreen; i++)
-        widget_invalidate_bytype(i, systray_new);
+        widget_invalidate_bytype(i, widget_systray);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/wibox.c b/wibox.c
index fc4be328a..eb7bde1fb 100644
--- a/wibox.c
+++ b/wibox.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ wibox_systray_refresh(wibox_t *wibox)
     for(int i = 0; i < wibox->widgets.len; i++)
     {
         widget_node_t *systray = &wibox->widgets.tab[i];
-        if(systray->widget->type == systray_new)
+        if(systray->widget->type == widget_systray)
         {
             uint32_t config_back[] = { wibox->sw.ctx.bg.pixel };
             uint32_t config_win_vals[4];
diff --git a/widget.c b/widget.c
index b5c4d3188..c8ce4660c 100644
--- a/widget.c
+++ b/widget.c
@@ -322,21 +322,21 @@ widget_invalidate_bywidget(widget_t *widget)
 static int
 luaA_widget_new(lua_State *L)
 {
-    const char *buf, *type;
-    widget_t *w = NULL;
+    const char *align, *type;
+    widget_t *w;
     widget_constructor_t *wc;
-    alignment_t align;
     size_t len;
 
     luaA_checktable(L, 2);
 
-    buf = luaA_getopt_lstring(L, 2, "align", "left", &len);
-    align = draw_align_fromstr(buf, len);
-
+    align = luaA_getopt_lstring(L, 2, "align", "left", &len);
     type = luaA_getopt_string(L, 2, "type", NULL);
 
     if((wc = name_func_lookup(type, WidgetList)))
-        w = wc(align);
+    {
+        w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
+        wc(w);
+    }
     else
     {
         luaA_warn(L, "unkown widget type: %s", type);
@@ -344,8 +344,8 @@ luaA_widget_new(lua_State *L)
     }
 
     w->type = wc;
-
     w->align_supported |= AlignLeft | AlignRight;
+    w->align = draw_align_fromstr(align, len);
 
     /* Set visible by default. */
     w->isvisible = true;
diff --git a/widget.h b/widget.h
index 73f79e558..58c423bb0 100644
--- a/widget.h
+++ b/widget.h
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ void luaA_table2widgets(lua_State *, widget_node_array_t *);
 void widget_invalidate_bywidget(widget_t *);
 void widget_invalidate_bytype(int, widget_constructor_t *);
 
-widget_constructor_t textbox_new;
-widget_constructor_t progressbar_new;
-widget_constructor_t graph_new;
-widget_constructor_t systray_new;
-widget_constructor_t imagebox_new;
+widget_constructor_t widget_textbox;
+widget_constructor_t widget_progressbar;
+widget_constructor_t widget_graph;
+widget_constructor_t widget_systray;
+widget_constructor_t widget_imagebox;
 
 /** Delete a widget node structure.
  * \param node The node to destroy.
diff --git a/widgets/graph.c b/widgets/graph.c
index 731db5e3c..52c657a3f 100644
--- a/widgets/graph.c
+++ b/widgets/graph.c
@@ -578,24 +578,19 @@ graph_destructor(widget_t *widget)
 }
 
 /** Create a brand new graph.
- * \param align The widget alignment.
- * \return A graph widget.
+ * \param w The widget to initialize.
+ * \return The same widget.
  */
 widget_t *
-graph_new(alignment_t align)
+widget_graph(widget_t *w)
 {
-    widget_t *w;
-    graph_data_t *d;
-
-    w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
-
     w->draw = graph_draw;
     w->index = luaA_graph_index;
     w->newindex = luaA_graph_newindex;
     w->destructor = graph_destructor;
-    w->align = align;
     w->geometry = graph_geometry;
-    d = w->data = p_new(graph_data_t, 1);
+
+    graph_data_t *d = w->data = p_new(graph_data_t, 1);
 
     d->width = 80;
     d->height = 0.80;
diff --git a/widgets/imagebox.c b/widgets/imagebox.c
index 518ccae35..e3dfecd35 100644
--- a/widgets/imagebox.c
+++ b/widgets/imagebox.c
@@ -210,15 +210,13 @@ luaA_imagebox_newindex(lua_State *L, awesome_token_t token)
 
 
 /** Create a new imagebox widget.
- * \param align Widget alignment.
+ * \param w The widget to initialize.
  * \return A brand new widget.
  */
 widget_t *
-imagebox_new(alignment_t align)
+widget_imagebox(widget_t *w)
 {
-    widget_t *w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
     imagebox_data_t *d;
-    w->align = align;
     w->draw = imagebox_draw;
     w->index = luaA_imagebox_index;
     w->newindex = luaA_imagebox_newindex;
diff --git a/widgets/progressbar.c b/widgets/progressbar.c
index c6adb7fb5..271e28114 100644
--- a/widgets/progressbar.c
+++ b/widgets/progressbar.c
@@ -636,23 +636,19 @@ progressbar_destructor(widget_t *widget)
 }
 
 /** Create a new progressbar.
- * \param align Alignment of the widget.
+ * \param w The widget to initialize.
  * \return A brand new progressbar.
  */
 widget_t *
-progressbar_new(alignment_t align)
+widget_progressbar(widget_t *w)
 {
-    widget_t *w;
-    progressbar_data_t *d;
-
-    w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
-    w->align = align;
     w->draw = progressbar_draw;
     w->index = luaA_progressbar_index;
     w->newindex = luaA_progressbar_newindex;
     w->destructor = progressbar_destructor;
     w->geometry = progressbar_geometry;
-    d = w->data = p_new(progressbar_data_t, 1);
+
+    progressbar_data_t *d = w->data = p_new(progressbar_data_t, 1);
 
     d->height = 0.80;
     d->width = 80;
diff --git a/widgets/systray.c b/widgets/systray.c
index 7383bf023..fdff41f71 100644
--- a/widgets/systray.c
+++ b/widgets/systray.c
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ systray_draw(widget_t *widget, draw_context_t *ctx,
                         _NET_SYSTEM_TRAY_ORIENTATION, CARDINAL, 32, 1, &orient);
 }
 
+/** Initialize a systray widget.
+ * \param w The widget to initialize.
+ * \return The same widget.
+ */
 widget_t *
-systray_new(alignment_t align)
+widget_systray(widget_t *w)
 {
-    widget_t *w;
-
-    w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
-    w->align = align;
     w->draw = systray_draw;
     w->geometry = systray_geometry;
 
diff --git a/widgets/textbox.c b/widgets/textbox.c
index 28a494a84..ffe93c3e5 100644
--- a/widgets/textbox.c
+++ b/widgets/textbox.c
@@ -231,24 +231,20 @@ luaA_textbox_newindex(lua_State *L, awesome_token_t token)
 }
 
 /** Create a new textbox widget.
- * \param align Widget alignment.
+ * \param w The widget to initialize.
  * \return A brand new widget.
  */
 widget_t *
-textbox_new(alignment_t align)
+widget_textbox(widget_t *w)
 {
-    widget_t *w;
-    textbox_data_t *d;
-
-    w = p_new(widget_t, 1);
-    w->align = align;
     w->align_supported |= AlignFlex;
     w->draw = textbox_draw;
     w->index = luaA_textbox_index;
     w->newindex = luaA_textbox_newindex;
     w->destructor = textbox_destructor;
     w->geometry = textbox_geometry;
-    w->data = d = p_new(textbox_data_t, 1);
+
+    textbox_data_t *d = w->data = p_new(textbox_data_t, 1);
     d->ellip = PANGO_ELLIPSIZE_END;
 
     return w;