diff --git a/src/components/screen.cpp b/src/components/screen.cpp
index 4f2bb1df..dbbddc06 100644
--- a/src/components/screen.cpp
+++ b/src/components/screen.cpp
@@ -48,9 +48,14 @@ screen::screen(connection& conn, signal_emitter& emitter, const logger& logger,
     << cw_flush(true);
   // clang-format on
 
+  // Update the root windows event mask
+  auto attributes = m_connection.get_window_attributes(m_root);
+  auto root_mask = attributes->your_event_mask;
+  attributes->your_event_mask = attributes->your_event_mask | XCB_EVENT_MASK_SUBSTRUCTURE_NOTIFY;
+  m_connection.change_window_attributes(m_root, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, &attributes->your_event_mask);
+
   // Receive randr events
   m_connection.randr().select_input(m_proxy, XCB_RANDR_NOTIFY_MASK_SCREEN_CHANGE);
-  m_connection.ensure_event_mask(m_root, XCB_EVENT_MASK_SUBSTRUCTURE_NOTIFY);
 
   // Create window used as event proxy
   m_connection.map_window(m_proxy);
@@ -59,7 +64,9 @@ screen::screen(connection& conn, signal_emitter& emitter, const logger& logger,
   // Wait until the proxy window has been mapped
   using evt = xcb_map_notify_event_t;
   m_connection.wait_for_response<evt, XCB_MAP_NOTIFY>([&](const evt* evt) -> bool { return evt->window == m_proxy; });
-  m_connection.clear_event_mask(m_root);
+
+  // Restore the root windows event mask
+  m_connection.change_window_attributes(m_root, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, &root_mask);
 
   // Finally attach the sink the process randr events
   m_connection.attach_sink(this, SINK_PRIORITY_SCREEN);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4a5c86b1..85c902f3 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     XInitThreads();
 
     // Store the xcb connection pointer with a disconnect deleter
-    shared_ptr<xcb_connection_t> xcbconn{xutils::get_connection(), xutils::xcb_connection_deleter{}};
+    unique_ptr<xcb_connection_t, xutils::xcb_connection_deleter> xcbconn{xutils::get_connection()};
 
     if (!xcbconn) {
       logger.err("A connection to X could not be established... ");
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     connection& conn{connection::make(&*xcbconn)};
     conn.preload_atoms();
     conn.query_extensions();
+    conn.ensure_event_mask(conn.root(), XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE);
 
     //==================================================
     // Parse command line arguments
diff --git a/src/x11/connection.cpp b/src/x11/connection.cpp
index 7034466b..fae4ec7c 100644
--- a/src/x11/connection.cpp
+++ b/src/x11/connection.cpp
@@ -87,11 +87,8 @@ xcb_screen_t* connection::screen(bool realloc) {
  */
 void connection::ensure_event_mask(xcb_window_t win, uint32_t event) {
   auto attributes = get_window_attributes(win);
-  uint32_t mask{attributes->your_event_mask | event};
-
-  if (!(attributes->your_event_mask & event)) {
-    change_window_attributes(win, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, &mask);
-  }
+  attributes->your_event_mask = attributes->your_event_mask | event;
+  change_window_attributes(win, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, &attributes->your_event_mask);
 }
 
 /**