diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index ecafb250c..4997a0fea 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ setup(Display *disp, awesome_config *awesomeconf)
 
     /* init atoms */
     wmatom[WMProtocols] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
-    wmatom[WMDelete] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
     wmatom[WMName] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_NAME", False);
     wmatom[WMState] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_STATE", False);
     netatom[NetSupported] = XInternAtom(disp, "_NET_SUPPORTED", False);
diff --git a/awesome.h b/awesome.h
index dbe09f147..15ca31e53 100644
--- a/awesome.h
+++ b/awesome.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ enum
 enum
 { NetSupported, NetWMName, NetLast };   /* EWMH atoms */
 enum
-{ WMProtocols, WMDelete, WMName, WMState, WMLast };     /* default atoms */
+{ WMProtocols, WMName, WMState, WMLast };     /* default atoms */
 
 Bool gettextprop(Display *, Window, Atom, char *, unsigned int);   /* return text property, UTF-8 compliant */
 void updatebarpos(Display *, Statusbar);        /* updates the bar position */
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 7c4cc7b15..dfafe57fd 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ grabbuttons(Client * c, Bool focused, KeySym modkey, unsigned int numlockmask)
 
 /** XXX: No idea
  * \param c the client
- * \return True if atom has WMDelete
+ * \return True if atom has WM_DELETE_WINDOW
  */
 static Bool
 isprotodel(Client * c)
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ isprotodel(Client * c)
     if(XGetWMProtocols(c->display, c->win, &protocols, &n))
     {
         for(i = 0; !ret && i < n; i++)
-            if(protocols[i] == wmatom[WMDelete])
+            if(protocols[i] == XInternAtom(c->display, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False))
                 ret = True;
         XFree(protocols);
     }
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ uicb_killclient(Display *disp __attribute__ ((unused)),
         ev.xclient.window = sel->win;
         ev.xclient.message_type = wmatom[WMProtocols];
         ev.xclient.format = 32;
-        ev.xclient.data.l[0] = wmatom[WMDelete];
+        ev.xclient.data.l[0] = XInternAtom(disp, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
         ev.xclient.data.l[1] = CurrentTime;
         XSendEvent(sel->display, sel->win, False, NoEventMask, &ev);
     }