diff --git a/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp b/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
index 129cf025..d671d33e 100644
--- a/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ class tray_manager
 
   /**
    * Current width of the tray.
+   *
+   * Caches the value calculated from all mapped tray clients.
    */
   unsigned m_tray_width{0};
 
@@ -169,9 +171,6 @@ class tray_manager
 
   thread m_delaythread;
 
-  // TODO try to remove mutex
-  mutable mutex m_mtx{};
-
   bool m_firstactivation{true};
 };
 
diff --git a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
index 13d883b5..1064f0bc 100644
--- a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ void tray_manager::deactivate(bool clear_selection) {
 
   m_connection.flush();
 
+  // TODO update through module
   m_sig.emit(signals::eventqueue::notify_forcechange{});
 }
 
@@ -183,24 +184,23 @@ void tray_manager::deactivate(bool clear_selection) {
 void tray_manager::reconfigure() {
   if (!m_opts.selection_owner) {
     return;
-  } else if (m_mtx.try_lock()) {
-    std::unique_lock<mutex> guard(m_mtx, std::adopt_lock);
-
-    try {
-      reconfigure_window();
-    } catch (const exception& err) {
-      m_log.err("Failed to reconfigure tray window (%s)", err.what());
-    }
-
-    try {
-      reconfigure_clients();
-    } catch (const exception& err) {
-      m_log.err("Failed to reconfigure tray clients (%s)", err.what());
-    }
-    guard.unlock();
-    m_connection.flush();
   }
 
+  try {
+    reconfigure_window();
+  } catch (const exception& err) {
+    m_log.err("Failed to reconfigure tray window (%s)", err.what());
+  }
+
+  try {
+    reconfigure_clients();
+  } catch (const exception& err) {
+    m_log.err("Failed to reconfigure tray clients (%s)", err.what());
+  }
+
+  m_connection.flush();
+
+  // TODO update through module
   m_sig.emit(signals::eventqueue::notify_forcechange{});
 }
 
@@ -240,13 +240,11 @@ void tray_manager::reconfigure_clients() {
  * Refresh the bar window by clearing it along with each client window
  */
 void tray_manager::refresh_window() {
-  if (!m_activated || m_hidden || !m_mtx.try_lock()) {
+  if (!m_activated || m_hidden) {
     return;
   }
 
-  std::lock_guard<mutex> lock(m_mtx, std::adopt_lock);
-
-  m_log.trace("tray: Refreshing window");
+  m_log.trace("tray: Refreshing clients");
 
   for (auto& client : m_clients) {
     try {