diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 90c05fd62..9f53a25df 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ setup_screen(awesome_config *awesomeconf, int screen)
     setup(awesomeconf, screen);
     statusbar_init(awesomeconf->display, screen, &awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar,
                    awesomeconf->cursor[CurNormal], awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
-                   awesomeconf->screens[screen].layouts, &awesomeconf->screens[screen].padding);
+                   &awesomeconf->screens[screen].padding);
 }
 
 /** Startup Error handler to check if another window manager
diff --git a/draw.c b/draw.c
index 61c4d71cf..6b3069e65 100644
--- a/draw.c
+++ b/draw.c
@@ -27,8 +27,33 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "draw.h"
 
+
+DrawCtx *
+draw_get_context(Display *display, int phys_screen, int width, int height)
+{
+    DrawCtx *d;
+    d = p_new(DrawCtx, 1);
+    d->phys_screen = phys_screen;
+    d->display = display;
+    d->width = width;
+    d->height = height;
+    d->depth = DefaultDepth(display, phys_screen);
+    d->visual = DefaultVisual(display, phys_screen);
+    d->drawable = XCreatePixmap(display,
+                                RootWindow(display, phys_screen),
+                                width, height, d->depth);
+    return d;
+};
+
+void 
+draw_free_context(DrawCtx *ctx)
+{
+    XFreePixmap(ctx->display, ctx->drawable);
+    p_delete(&ctx);
+}
+
 void
-drawtext(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawable, int dw, int dh, XftFont *font, const char *text, XColor color[ColLast])
+drawtext(DrawCtx *ctx, int x, int y, int w, int h, XftFont *font, const char *text, XColor color[ColLast])
 {
     int nw = 0;
     static char buf[256];
@@ -37,11 +62,11 @@ drawtext(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawabl
     cairo_surface_t *surface;
     cairo_t *cr;
 
-    drawrectangle(disp, screen, x, y, w, h, drawable, dw, dh, True, color[ColBG]);
+    drawrectangle(ctx, x, y, w, h, True, color[ColBG]);
     if(!a_strlen(text))
         return;
 
-    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, drawable, DefaultVisual(disp, screen), dw, dh);
+    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(ctx->display, ctx->drawable, ctx->visual, ctx->width, ctx->height);
     cr = cairo_create(surface);
     font_face = cairo_ft_font_face_create_for_pattern(font->pattern);
     cairo_set_font_face(cr, font_face);
@@ -53,7 +78,7 @@ drawtext(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawabl
         len = sizeof(buf) - 1;
     memcpy(buf, text, len);
     buf[len] = 0;
-    while(len && (nw = textwidth(disp, font, buf)) > w)
+    while(len && (nw = textwidth(ctx, font, buf)) > w)
         buf[--len] = 0;
     if(nw > w)
         return;                 /* too long */
@@ -67,7 +92,7 @@ drawtext(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawabl
             buf[len - 3] = '.';
     }
 
-    cairo_move_to(cr, x + font->height / 2, y + font->ascent + (dh - font->height) / 2);
+    cairo_move_to(cr, x + font->height / 2, y + font->ascent + (ctx->height - font->height) / 2);
     cairo_show_text(cr, buf);
 
     cairo_font_face_destroy(font_face);
@@ -76,12 +101,12 @@ drawtext(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawabl
 }
 
 void
-drawrectangle(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable drawable, int dw, int dh, Bool filled, XColor color)
+drawrectangle(DrawCtx *ctx, int x, int y, int w, int h, Bool filled, XColor color)
 {
     cairo_surface_t *surface;
     cairo_t *cr;
 
-    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, drawable, DefaultVisual(disp, screen), dw, dh);
+    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(ctx->display, ctx->drawable, ctx->visual, ctx->width, ctx->height);
     cr = cairo_create (surface);
 
     cairo_set_antialias(cr, CAIRO_ANTIALIAS_NONE);
@@ -102,12 +127,12 @@ drawrectangle(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int w, int h, Drawable dr
 }
 
 void
-drawcircle(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int r, Drawable drawable, int dw, int dh, Bool filled, XColor color)
+drawcircle(DrawCtx *ctx, int x, int y, int r, Bool filled, XColor color)
 {
     cairo_surface_t *surface;
     cairo_t *cr;
 
-    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, drawable, DefaultVisual(disp, screen), dw, dh);
+    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(ctx->display, ctx->drawable, ctx->visual, ctx->width, ctx->height);
     cr = cairo_create (surface);
     cairo_set_line_width(cr, 1.0);
     cairo_set_source_rgb(cr, color.red / 65535.0, color.green / 65535.0, color.blue / 65535.0);
@@ -126,18 +151,18 @@ drawcircle(Display *disp, int screen, int x, int y, int r, Drawable drawable, in
 }
 
 Drawable
-draw_rotate(Display *disp, int screen, Drawable drawable, int dw, int dh, double angle, int tx, int ty)
+draw_rotate(DrawCtx *ctx, int screen, double angle, int tx, int ty)
 {
     cairo_surface_t *surface, *source;
     cairo_t *cr;
     Drawable newdrawable;
 
-    newdrawable = XCreatePixmap(disp,
-                                RootWindow(disp, screen),
-                                dh, dw,
-                                DefaultDepth(disp, screen));
-    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, newdrawable, DefaultVisual(disp, screen), dh, dw);
-    source = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, drawable, DefaultVisual(disp, screen), dw, dh);
+    newdrawable = XCreatePixmap(ctx->display,
+                                RootWindow(ctx->display, screen),
+                                ctx->height, ctx->width,
+                                ctx->depth);
+    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(ctx->display, newdrawable, ctx->visual, ctx->height, ctx->width);
+    source = cairo_xlib_surface_create(ctx->display, ctx->drawable, ctx->visual, ctx->width, ctx->height);
     cr = cairo_create (surface);
 
     cairo_translate(cr, tx, ty);
@@ -153,18 +178,19 @@ draw_rotate(Display *disp, int screen, Drawable drawable, int dw, int dh, double
     return newdrawable;
 }
 
+
 unsigned short
-textwidth(Display *disp, XftFont *font, char *text)
+textwidth_primitive(Display *display, XftFont *font, char *text)
 {
     cairo_surface_t *surface;
     cairo_t *cr;
     cairo_font_face_t *font_face;
     cairo_text_extents_t te;
 
-    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(disp, DefaultScreen(disp),
-                                        DefaultVisual(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)),
-                                        DisplayWidth(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)),
-                                        DisplayHeight(disp, DefaultScreen(disp)));
+    surface = cairo_xlib_surface_create(display, DefaultScreen(display),
+                                        DefaultVisual(display, DefaultScreen(display)),
+                                        DisplayWidth(display, DefaultScreen(display)),
+                                        DisplayHeight(display, DefaultScreen(display)));
     cr = cairo_create(surface);
     font_face = cairo_ft_font_face_create_for_pattern(font->pattern);
     cairo_set_font_face(cr, font_face);
@@ -177,4 +203,10 @@ textwidth(Display *disp, XftFont *font, char *text)
     return MAX(te.x_advance, te.width) + font->height;
 }
 
+unsigned short
+textwidth(DrawCtx *ctx, XftFont *font, char *text)
+{
+    return textwidth_primitive(ctx->display, font, text);
+}
+
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=99
diff --git a/draw.h b/draw.h
index f001481c8..60e21bb64 100644
--- a/draw.h
+++ b/draw.h
@@ -24,10 +24,25 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-void drawtext(Display *, int, int, int, int, int, Drawable, int, int, XftFont *, const char *, XColor []);
-void drawrectangle(Display *, int, int, int, int, int, Drawable, int, int, Bool, XColor);
-void drawcircle(Display *, int, int, int, int, Drawable, int, int, Bool, XColor);
-Drawable draw_rotate(Display *, int, Drawable, int, int, double, int, int);
-unsigned short textwidth(Display *, XftFont *, char *);
+typedef struct DrawCtx DrawCtx;
+struct DrawCtx
+{
+    Display *display;
+    Drawable drawable;
+    Visual *visual;
+    int width;
+    int height;
+    int phys_screen;
+    int depth;
+};
+
+DrawCtx *draw_get_context(Display*, int, int, int);
+void draw_free_context(DrawCtx*);
+void drawtext(DrawCtx *, int, int, int, int, XftFont *, const char *, XColor []);
+void drawrectangle(DrawCtx *, int, int, int, int, Bool, XColor);
+void drawcircle(DrawCtx *, int, int, int, Bool, XColor);
+Drawable draw_rotate(DrawCtx *, int, double, int, int);
+unsigned short textwidth(DrawCtx *, XftFont *, char *);
+unsigned short textwidth_primitive(Display*, XftFont*, char*);
 #endif
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=99
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index f770c962d..0064a136a 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ handle_event_buttonpress(XEvent * e, awesome_config *awesomeconf)
         {
             for(i = 1, tag = awesomeconf->screens[screen].tags; tag; tag = tag->next, i++)
             {
-                x += textwidth(e->xany.display, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, tag->name);
+                x += textwidth_primitive(e->xany.display, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, awesomeconf->screens[screen].tags[i].name);
                 if(((awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarTop
                      || awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarBot)
                    && ev->x < x)
diff --git a/statusbar.c b/statusbar.c
index 08a2c22f5..900597d89 100644
--- a/statusbar.c
+++ b/statusbar.c
@@ -52,157 +52,122 @@ statusbar_draw(awesome_config *awesomeconf, int screen)
 {
     int z, x = 0, y = 0, w;
     Client *sel = awesomeconf->focus->client;
-    Drawable drawable;
     int phys_screen = get_phys_screen(awesomeconf->display, screen);
+    Statusbar sbar;
     Tag *tag;
-
+    Layout *layout;
+    
+    sbar = awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar;
+    DrawCtx *ctx = draw_get_context(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen, sbar.width, sbar.height);
     /* don't waste our time */
-    if(awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarOff)
+    if(sbar.position == BarOff)
         return;
 
-    drawable = XCreatePixmap(awesomeconf->display,
-                             RootWindow(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen),
-                             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                             DefaultDepth(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen));
-
     for(tag = awesomeconf->screens[screen].tags; tag; tag = tag->next)
     {
-        w = textwidth(awesomeconf->display, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, tag->name);
+        w = textwidth(ctx, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, tag->name);
         if(tag->selected)
         {
-            drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                     x, y, w,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                     drawable,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+            drawtext(ctx, x, y, w,
+                     sbar.height,
                      awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
-                     tag->name, awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected);
+                     tag->name,
+                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected);
             if(isoccupied(awesomeconf->screens[screen].tclink, screen, awesomeconf->clients, tag))
-                drawrectangle(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                              x, y,
+                drawrectangle(ctx, x, y,
                               (awesomeconf->screens[screen].font->height + 2) / 4,
                               (awesomeconf->screens[screen].font->height + 2) / 4,
-                              drawable,
-                              awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                              awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
                               sel && is_client_tagged(awesomeconf->screens[screen].tclink, sel, tag),
                               awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected[ColFG]);
         }
         else
         {
-            drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                     x, y, w,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                     drawable,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+            drawtext(ctx, x, y, w,
+                     sbar.height,
                      awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
-                     tag->name, awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
+                     tag->name,
+                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
             if(isoccupied(awesomeconf->screens[screen].tclink, screen, awesomeconf->clients, tag))
-                drawrectangle(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                              x, y,
+                drawrectangle(ctx, x, y,
                               (awesomeconf->screens[screen].font->height + 2) / 4,
                               (awesomeconf->screens[screen].font->height + 2) / 4,
-                              drawable,
-                              awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                              awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
                               sel && is_client_tagged(awesomeconf->screens[screen].tclink, sel, tag),
                               awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal[ColFG]);
         }
         x += w;
     }
-    drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-             x, y, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.txtlayoutwidth,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-             drawable,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+
+    /* This is only here until we refactor this function. */
+    for(layout = awesomeconf->screens[screen].layouts; layout; layout = layout->next)
+        sbar.txtlayoutwidth = MAX(sbar.txtlayoutwidth,
+                                  textwidth(ctx, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, layout->symbol));
+    drawtext(ctx, x, y,
+             sbar.txtlayoutwidth,
+             sbar.height,
              awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
              get_current_layout(awesomeconf->screens[screen])->symbol,
              awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
-    z = x + awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.txtlayoutwidth;
-    w = textwidth(awesomeconf->display, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statustext);
-    x = awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width - w;
+    z = x + sbar.txtlayoutwidth;
+    w = textwidth(ctx, awesomeconf->screens[screen].font, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statustext);
+    x = sbar.width - w;
     if(x < z)
     {
         x = z;
-        w = awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width - z;
+        w = sbar.width - z;
     }
-    drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-             x, y, w,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-             drawable,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+    drawtext(ctx, x, y, w,
+             sbar.height,
              awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
-             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statustext, awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
-    if((w = x - z) > awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height)
+             awesomeconf->screens[screen].statustext,
+             awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
+    if((w = x - z) > sbar.height)
     {
         x = z;
         if(sel && sel->screen == screen)
         {
-            drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                     x, y, w,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                     drawable,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+            drawtext(ctx, x, y, w,
+                     sbar.height,
                      awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
-                     sel->name, awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected);
+                     sel->name,
+                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected);
             if(sel->isfloating)
-                drawcircle(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                           x, y,
+                drawcircle(ctx, x, y,
                            (awesomeconf->screens[screen].font->height + 2) / 4,
-                           drawable,
-                           awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                           awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
                            sel->ismax,
                            awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_selected[ColFG]);
         }
         else
-            drawtext(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen,
-                     x, y, w,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                     drawable,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width,
-                     awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
+            drawtext(ctx, x, y, w,
+                     sbar.height,
                      awesomeconf->screens[screen].font,
                      NULL, awesomeconf->screens[screen].colors_normal);
     }
-    if(awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarRight
-       || awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarLeft)
+    if(sbar.position == BarRight || sbar.position == BarLeft)
     {
         Drawable d;
-        if(awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.position == BarRight)
-            d = draw_rotate(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen, drawable,
-                            awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                            M_PI_2, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height, 0);
+        if(sbar.position == BarRight)
+            d = draw_rotate(ctx, phys_screen, M_PI_2, sbar.height, 0);
         else
-            d = draw_rotate(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen, drawable,
-                            awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height,
-                            - M_PI_2, 0, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width);
+            d = draw_rotate(ctx, phys_screen, - M_PI_2, 0, sbar.width);
         XCopyArea(awesomeconf->display, d,
-                  awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.window,
+                  sbar.window,
                   DefaultGC(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen), 0, 0,
-                  awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width, 0, 0);
+                  sbar.height,
+                  sbar.width, 0, 0);
         XFreePixmap(awesomeconf->display, d);
     }
     else
-        XCopyArea(awesomeconf->display, drawable,
-                  awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.window,
+        XCopyArea(awesomeconf->display, ctx->drawable,
+                  sbar.window,
                   DefaultGC(awesomeconf->display, phys_screen), 0, 0,
-                  awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.width, awesomeconf->screens[screen].statusbar.height, 0, 0);
-    XFreePixmap(awesomeconf->display, drawable);
+                  sbar.width, sbar.height, 0, 0);
+    draw_free_context(ctx);
     XSync(awesomeconf->display, False);
 }
 
 void
-statusbar_init(Display *disp, int screen, Statusbar *statusbar,
-               Cursor cursor, XftFont *font, Layout *layouts, Padding *padding)
+statusbar_init(Display *disp, int screen, Statusbar *statusbar, Cursor cursor, XftFont *font, Padding *padding)
 {
-    Layout *l;
     XSetWindowAttributes wa;
     int phys_screen = get_phys_screen(disp, screen);
     ScreenInfo *si = get_screen_info(disp, screen, NULL, padding);
@@ -241,10 +206,6 @@ statusbar_init(Display *disp, int screen, Statusbar *statusbar,
     XDefineCursor(disp, statusbar->window, cursor);
     statusbar_update_position(disp, *statusbar, padding);
     XMapRaised(disp, statusbar->window);
-
-    for(l = layouts ; l; l = l->next)
-        statusbar->txtlayoutwidth = MAX(statusbar->txtlayoutwidth,
-                                        (textwidth(disp, font, l->symbol)));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/statusbar.h b/statusbar.h
index cc599a7e7..c69472e36 100644
--- a/statusbar.h
+++ b/statusbar.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "common.h"
 
-void statusbar_init(Display *, int, Statusbar *, Cursor, XftFont *, Layout *, Padding *);
+void statusbar_init(Display *, int, Statusbar *, Cursor, XftFont *, Padding *);
 void statusbar_draw(awesome_config *, int);
 int statusbar_get_position_from_str(const char *);
 void statusbar_update_position(Display *, Statusbar, Padding *);