diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 2c3bb2a52..abdbf97ce 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -40,6 +40,63 @@
 #define _NET_WM_STATE_ADD 1
 #define _NET_WM_STATE_TOGGLE 2
 
+/** Update client EWMH hints.
+ * \param c The client.
+ */
+static int
+ewmh_client_update_hints(lua_State *L)
+{
+    client_t *c = luaA_checkudata(L, 1, &client_class);
+    xcb_atom_t state[10]; /* number of defined state atoms */
+    int i = 0;
+
+    if(c->modal)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MODAL;
+    if(c->fullscreen)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN;
+    if(c->maximized_vertical)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_VERT;
+    if(c->maximized_horizontal)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_HORZ;
+    if(c->sticky)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY;
+    if(c->skip_taskbar)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_SKIP_TASKBAR;
+    if(c->above)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE;
+    if(c->below)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_BELOW;
+    if(c->minimized)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_HIDDEN;
+    if(c->urgent)
+        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_DEMANDS_ATTENTION;
+
+    xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
+                        c->window, _NET_WM_STATE, ATOM, 32, i, state);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+ewmh_signal_on_client_new(lua_State *L)
+{
+#define DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(prop) \
+    lua_pushcfunction(L, ewmh_client_update_hints); \
+    luaA_object_add_signal(L, 1, "property::" #prop , -1);
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(modal)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(fullscreen)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(maximized_horizontal)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(maximized_vertical)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(sticky)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(skip_taskbar)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(above)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(below)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(minimized)
+    DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY(urgent)
+#undef DO_ADD_SIGNAL_FOR_PROPERTY
+    return 0;
+}
+
 /** Update the desktop geometry.
  * \param phys_screen The physical screen id.
  */
@@ -136,6 +193,9 @@ ewmh_init(int phys_screen)
                         father, _NET_WM_PID, CARDINAL, 32, 1, &i);
 
     ewmh_update_desktop_geometry(phys_screen);
+
+    lua_pushcfunction(globalconf.L, ewmh_signal_on_client_new);
+    luaA_class_add_signal(globalconf.L, &client_class, "new", -1);
 }
 
 void
@@ -383,40 +443,6 @@ ewmh_process_client_message(xcb_client_message_event_t *ev)
     return 0;
 }
 
-/** Update client EWMH hints.
- * \param c The client.
- */
-void
-ewmh_client_update_hints(client_t *c)
-{
-    xcb_atom_t state[10]; /* number of defined state atoms */
-    int i = 0;
-
-    if(c->modal)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MODAL;
-    if(c->fullscreen)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN;
-    if(c->maximized_vertical)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_VERT;
-    if(c->maximized_horizontal)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_HORZ;
-    if(c->sticky)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY;
-    if(c->skip_taskbar)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_SKIP_TASKBAR;
-    if(c->above)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE;
-    if(c->below)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_BELOW;
-    if(c->minimized)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_HIDDEN;
-    if(c->urgent)
-        state[i++] = _NET_WM_STATE_DEMANDS_ATTENTION;
-
-    xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
-                        c->window, _NET_WM_STATE, ATOM, 32, i, state);
-}
-
 /** Update the client active desktop.
  * This is "wrong" since it can be on several tags, but EWMH has a strict view
  * of desktop system so just take the first tag.
diff --git a/ewmh.h b/ewmh.h
index 385f259ba..cfdddd855 100644
--- a/ewmh.h
+++ b/ewmh.h
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ 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_client_check_hints(client_t *);
-void ewmh_client_update_hints(client_t *);
 void ewmh_client_update_desktop(client_t *);
 void ewmh_process_client_strut(client_t *, xcb_get_property_reply_t *);
 void ewmh_update_strut(xcb_window_t, strut_t *);
diff --git a/objects/client.c b/objects/client.c
index 909c0f45e..1f08fc88e 100644
--- a/objects/client.c
+++ b/objects/client.c
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ client_set_urgent(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool urgent)
             xcb_get_wm_hints_unchecked(globalconf.connection, c->window);
 
         c->urgent = urgent;
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
 
         /* update ICCCM hints */
         xcb_wm_hints_t wmh;
@@ -717,7 +716,6 @@ client_set_minimized(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
             xwindow_set_state(c->window, XCB_WM_STATE_ICONIC);
         else
             xwindow_set_state(c->window, XCB_WM_STATE_NORMAL);
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         if(strut_has_value(&c->strut))
             screen_emit_signal(globalconf.L, c->screen, "property::workarea", 0);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::minimized", 0);
@@ -738,7 +736,6 @@ client_set_sticky(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
     {
         c->sticky = s;
         banning_need_update((c)->screen);
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::sticky", 0);
     }
 }
@@ -771,7 +768,6 @@ client_set_fullscreen(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, abs_cidx, "request::fullscreen", 1);
         c->fullscreen = s;
         stack_windows();
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, abs_cidx, "property::fullscreen", 0);
     }
 }
@@ -795,7 +791,6 @@ client_set_fullscreen(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
             luaA_object_emit_signal(L, abs_cidx, "request::maximized_" #type, 1); \
             c->maximized_##type = s; \
             stack_windows(); \
-            ewmh_client_update_hints(c); \
             luaA_object_emit_signal(L, abs_cidx, "property::maximized_" #type, 0); \
         } \
     }
@@ -824,7 +819,6 @@ client_set_above(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
         }
         c->above = s;
         stack_windows();
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::above", 0);
     }
 }
@@ -850,7 +844,6 @@ client_set_below(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
         }
         c->below = s;
         stack_windows();
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::below", 0);
     }
 }
@@ -869,7 +862,6 @@ client_set_modal(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
     {
         c->modal = s;
         stack_windows();
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::modal", 0);
     }
 }
@@ -912,7 +904,6 @@ client_set_skip_taskbar(lua_State *L, int cidx, bool s)
     if(c->skip_taskbar != s)
     {
         c->skip_taskbar = s;
-        ewmh_client_update_hints(c);
         luaA_object_emit_signal(L, cidx, "property::skip_taskbar", 0);
     }
 }